The Legend of Zaden: Cyrodiil
by ParadoxBattleZone
Summary: Sequel to "Morrowind: The Legend of Zaden." Zaden returns to his home providence of Cyrodiil in search of his parents, only to be intertwined in another's destiny. Loosely based of "Oblivion", created by Bethesda. Read the first story before this.
1. Preface

** Preface**

What are our lives but what we make of them? Are we _always _in complete control of out destinies? Are we ever the masters of _ourselves_? Or, in the hidden corners of our lives, are there _others_ that pulls the strings, _others _that, ultimately, tells the story of our lives?

I use to regard the latter as complete nonsense… use to.

The first twenty eight years of my life have been denied me. Under unknown circumstances, the previous years have been wiped clean from memory. As far back as I _could_ remember, I was inbound on a congested refugee boat, headed to the strange, alien island of Vvardenfell. There, my life, in essence, had to begin anew. With nothing on me but what was provided, I was thrust into this strange place, where it seemed its inhabitants, a race of elves named "the Dunmer" had an eternal hatred toward my people (the Imperials.) Thankfully, though, I was fortunate to find the friendship of kind souls: an Argonian mage by the name of Hui and a blinded male Dunmer nobleman by the name of Varon Varvur. Then, shortly after our encounter, I met who would one day become my wife: a beautiful yet complicated female _Dunmer_ by the name of Zela.

There, in this island of Vvardenfell, I crawled my way up the ladder of success, the beginning of my success starting with the Fighters Guild. There, scrounging off the supply of mediocre quest that were bestowed upon me, I barely made a living. Were it not for the encouragement of Hui and the compassion from the one I loved, I would have ended my life then and there.

Then, one day, I was captured by operatives of the Blades and was brought before a goddess of perfect beauty: Azura. It was her that confessed to me a shocking tale, a tale of an evil lord dubbed Dagoth Ur, a legendary hero named Indoril Nerevar, who fell beneath Dagoth Ur's might, and her proclamation that said hero would be rebirthed and finally put an end to the evil that plagued the land.

She said that _I _was Indoril Nerevar's reincarnation.

Thus began a great journey, one that would send me across the entirety of Vvardenfell. Along the way, I bared witness to what blighted the land, and slowly, I began to comprehend my destiny: to slay Dagoth Ur and set forth peace to Vvardenfell once again.

Through many sourced did I become stronger. Through the combat training of my Fighters Guild master, the magecraft of my friend Hui, and the bestowing of artifacts of power from the gods, I became Nerevar, savior of Morrowind.

On that faithful day, the day I spent many months in preparation for, I enter the realm of Dagoth ur, a blighted land of ashstorms and demonic beings. With a Holy Army of 300 at my command, we drudged forward into the unknown and reached the dwelling place of the dark lord. Alone did I enter that place, and there we exchanged blows for the fate of Vardenfell and the world.

In the end, it was _I _that was victorious. With the dark hand of Dagoth Ur diminished, the prophesy was fulfilled and the world was safe from evil.

Now, many months after that day of days, I left the island of Vvardenfell by boat, now in search of something even more precious to me: my past. Through randomly occurring flashbacks, small fragments of my past would flood back into my mind. With nothing to go on but those fragments, I was determined to seek out my family and my parents.

Do I believe in fate? Do I see my life as nothing more than predetermined choices that are out of my control? Perhaps so, perhaps not.

Only time shall tell.


	2. The Kraken

Chapter 1: The Kraken

Being aboard a sea worthy vessel for two months, you become accustom to a many number of things: the rhythmic swaying of the waves, the ever constant taste of the salt air, the sometimes freak storms that seem to occur at a moment's notice. For me, I grew to love such things. I envy those who spend nearly all of their lives out in this horizonless place. One could get lost (both figuratively and mentally) in such a place.

As I stood atop the deck of The Kraken, I absorbed all such pleasures: the warm sun beating down on my face, the ever present ocean gulls that flew overhead, the constant clatter of a busy crew. I spent much of my time here aboard the ship, preparing myself for what is in store once we reach land.

As I gazed toward the horizon, I heard the sound of approaching footsteps from behind. I knew them all too well.

"Glad to see that you have awoken, Hui," I said.

Hui, clad in his now iconic green wizard robes, dawning a dark green wizards hat, joined me by my side and look toward the horizon as well.

"I admit," said Hui, a smoking pipe placed between his reptilian lips, "I have been sleeping in quite late as of late. It must be the rhythm of the current: it helps me sleep at night."

"Do not grow too accustom to it, my friend, for we shall reach the mainland in about a week's time."

"Is that what the captain said?" Hui asked.

I nodded. "That he did. I am both glad and upset to leave this life aboard this vessel."

"Soon you will completely forget such an existence once we set foot onto land, believe me."

"Has Zela awoken as of yet?" I asked.

"Unlike I, she has kept a good habit of waking early. She is in the quarters, reading."

"And Varon. Is he still suffering from his sea sickness?"

"Unfortunately, yes," replied Hui. "It seemed like the second he set foot on the ship, his stomach began to twist into knots. I have been using my healing abilities to remedy his illness, but I can only do so much."

"You have done all you can, Hui," I assured him. "It is up to Varon to see _himself_ through this voyage… Any news from the captain?"

"Actually, that was the very reason I sought you out," replied Hui. "Captain Hasphat seeks your presence in his quarters."

"On what reason?" I asked.

"He would not say, only that he needed to see you urgently. We should go now… he seemed rather angered at the time."

"When is he _not_?" I joked.

When I first met Captain Hasphat, he was nothing but brutal to his crew: cursing, commanding them with an iron fist, keeping them in line with the ever looming threat of "fifteen lashings." At first, I saw his act as nothing more than an _act_, a way to portray his superiority over the crew. Then, as I witnessed his behavior on the open seas, I slowly realized that this was not an act in the slightest. He was _truly _a deplorable being. It seemed that _nothing_ could evercleanse his rage.

Hui and I headed toward the stern of the boat, where the lavish captain's quarters were located. The walls were adorned with a great number of things: portraits of himself in a stoic pose, naval flags, and (more predominantly), the spoils of his successful career.

As soon as I had opened the door, the captain lifted his head from the work on his desk. "Ah, come in, Nerevar, and the Argonian as well." He never referred to Hui by his name.

Hui and I approached the desk. "Was there something you wished to voice to me?" I asked.

"Yes, Nerevar. It is in regards to the position of authority of this ship… Tell me, who generally commands a ship?"

"… The captain," I cautiously replied.

"And who be the captain of _this _ship?" he asked.

"You, captain."

"Correct… Now, seeing as that is the case, why do you feel the need to command the crew when it is obviously not your position to do so?! Lately, I have observed members of _my _crew carrying out orders that I have not given. When I queried them as to who gave such orders, they give the reply of 'Nerevar.'" The captain rose from his chair and approached Hui and I. His beard reeked of tobacco smoke. "Let me paint this as clearly as possible… _I _am the captain of this ship and _you _are _not_. Therefore, you have no right to command _my _crew!"

"I am as much the leader of this ship as you are!" I declared. "Were it not for me, you would not have a ship to command!"

"Do not lecture _me_, Nerevar! I shall warn you once and only once: if you command my crew again, I will personally make sure that you will never set foot upon the deck for the remainder of the journey. You will be confined to your quarters… Are we at an understanding?"

"_Do you wish me to set him ablaze, Zaden?_" Hui asked me telepathically.

"_And risk a mutiny?_" I replied. "_No thank you. Let us have the captain retain his ego for now._"

"A _complete_ understanding," I finally replied to Captain Hasphat.

o0o

With that unpleasantness out of the way, Hui and I returned below deck. There was where most of the crew hid from the captain. There, they were able to speak freely (mostly to talk ill of the captain _himself_.) The interior of the ship was pungent of freshly cut lumber, telling me that the ship was built only recently. A series of cramped corridors lead Hui and I downward toward the belly of the ship, where our quarters were located.

It was evident that expense was _not_ an option when they lavishly decorated said quarters. The walls were adorned with crimson banners, each displaying a black Moon and Star insignia. Accompanying the banners were bookshelves, fully stocked with books (most of historical texts.) Most of the quarters consisted of a main room, where sat a number of plush furniture arrangements and a table stocked with various foods. There were also three other smaller bedrooms that were apart from the main room: one for Zela and I, one for Varon, and one for Hui.

As Hui and I entered and shut the door behind us, Zela rose from a plush chair, holding a leather bound book entitled _"A Brief History of The Empire: Volume 4."_ Ever since the ship set off, she had been intently studying Imperial culture and history, so she could better adjust when we arrive to Cyrodiil.

"Zaden," said Zela with a smile, which quickly disappeared, "you look angered. Is something the matter?"

"It is the damn captain," I replied. "It is as if he does not trust me!"

Zela turned to Hui. "What does he mean by that?" she asked.

"Apparently," replied Hui, "Captain Hasphat has learned that Zaden has been giving orders to the crew of The Kraken. Angered with this, he declared that Zaden is _not_ allowed to command the crew any longer."

"That is outrageous!" exclaimed Zela. "If anything, you, Zaden, have more power over that captain."

"My thoughts exactly," I said, "but if I go against his orders, I fear that _more _problems could arise, such as a mutiny from the crew. For now, I shall simply-." Just then, the gruesome sound of retching emanated from beyond the door of Varon's quarters. "Varon?" I asked. "Are you feeling well."

In an instant, the door swung open to reveal a very afflicted Varon: his dark, ashy blue skin had now turned a pale shade of what it once was, his eyes, as opposed to bloodshot, were pale as well. His expression alone answered my query.

"I feel terrible," Varon answered. "If I had known that I was to be _this _a wreck, I would have stayed on dry land."

"Do not joke like that," I said. "How is it that you are so sick, Varon?"

"It is the unsteady nature of the ship. For whatever reason, the ever present swayinf of the ship, coupled with my visual absence, causes my stomach to become knotted."

"Well fear not, Varon. We will reach the mainland in one weeks time. Do you ting that you can last until then?" Varon nodded weakly in response, then stumbled to a chair and fell into it with a heavy thud. "Zaden, what is it that you _truly _want from the captain: his _respect _or his _power_?"

"His respect," I instantly shot back.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "You agreed with Zela not a few minutes ago that you should have more power over the captain." That was true. "I will ask again: What do you want from the captain?"

"… I am not sure," I replied. "It is strange, Varon, to be in a position of power for so long, only to now be nothing more than a _commoner_ aboard this ship. I feel almost helpless."

"You are not _helpless_," assured Zela as she wrapped her arms around me. "There is nothing wrong with being 'Zaden' for the time being. The title of 'Nerevar' should not be your _only _title. Please, my love, let this time from Morrowind be one of anonymity and after we locate your family, let us focus on _other _things."

I looked down to the arms that wrapped around me and admired the engagement ring that adorned Zela's ring finger. "Such as _finally_ raising a family," I said.

Just then, a familiar horn blew from above deck. It was the horn that was _only _blown in times of distress. As of yet, it had no need to sound, so the very fact that it sounded _now _made me quite nervous. I turned to Hui who gave the same look of worry. With a nod of our heads, Hui and I sprinted from our room and ran up the stairs that lead to the deck.

On the sun blanketed deck of The Kraken, the crew was at a fevered pace. From the looks of it, the ship seemed to be preparing for attack. I witnessed cannons being loaded up, charged, and prepared to fire at a moment's notice. Captain Hasphat strutted the length of the deck many times, calling out profanity latent commands to the crew.

"What goes on here?" I asked the captain.

The captain retrieved a looking scope from beneath his coat, extended to full length, and said to me, "Scan the Western horizon. There shall be your answer."

I did as the captain suggested and looked toward the West with the scope placed firmly to my right eye. It took me a few moments before I could spy anything other than blue: a ship was in the distance. At first glance, it looked to be an average Imperial Empire ship. However, upon closer examination, the crew revealed itself to be composed primarily of Khajiits, and the sails were black, a color _never _found among Empire ships (which were always white.)

"Pirates!" I exclaimed.

"Aye," growled the captain, "and by the looks of them, they be seasoned in their profession. They gave the signal earlier that they intent to board our vessel. We have no choice but to do so."

"For what reason?" I asked. "Could we not merely attack the ship once it is within range of our guns?"

"No," said Hui. "I sense many souls below deck, which means one thing: the _real _crew is being held hostage. If we attack the ship, they will die as well."

"The Argonian has some _intellect _for a change," said the captain bluntly. "The best course of action is to allow the Khajiits to board, let them have way with what they desire, then allow them to move on.

Zaden… you are, by _no_ means, allowed to interfere with my plan. I command you and your friend to stand aside and make no attempt to retaliate against them. Am I understood?"

"Completely," Hui and I replied in unison.

I do not like inaction. It breeds apathy.

However, Hui and I had no choice but to stand by and watch the pirate ship grow closer and closer. As it approached nearer and nearer, the sounds of the vagrant crew grew louder and louder. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, the pirate ship sailed up parallel to The Kraken.

A long, wide plank was quickly placed between the two ships, allowing the pirates to walk onto our deck. In a flash, a small horde of Khajiits, wielding crudely made flint-lock pistols, stormed the deck and kept a gun aimed at each of the crew members' heads. Hui and I, however, who stood in the shadows, were overlooked.

Once all were secured (save Hui and I), the pirate captain walked onto our deck. Much to our surprise, he was not Khajiit, but rather Dunmer. He was dressed in a navel captain uniform (one he most likely took from a _real _officer) and acted more like a nobleman than a pirate. With a evil grin on his face, he approached Captain Hasphat.

"Good day to you, Captain," the pirate leader said, with a voice that sounded both pleasing to the ear and chilling to the soul. "I am Mandran, the leader of the charming group you see here. Now, I wish not to bore you with trivial squabbles, so I shall get right down to the business at hand: Today, we shall take whatever I see fit from your ship, and you and your crew will stand aside as we do it. _Fail_ to do so… and there _will _be difficulties."

"We shall not interfere with your work," replied the captain. "Just please, take what you need then leave."

"We shall do so," said Mandran. Mandran then gave a signal to the pirated that remained on their ship's deck. With a roar, the Khajiits swarmed the deck of The Kraken and charged downward below deck, in search of anything they saw of value. I could hear the clatter they produced: the ripping open of crates, thesounds of shattering things, and the yelling of crew members that were still below deck.

As the commotion commenced, A startling realization came upon me.

"_Zela!_" I said to Hui telepathically. "_Zela is still in our quarters!_"

"_I just came to that realization as well_," replied Hui. "_Unfortunatly, I fear that if we retreat from our hide, Mandran may become furious and violence might break out. I hate to say this, Zaden, but we must stay to our current position._

_ Besides, I think that Zela would be able to defend herself if she saw fit to do so._"

While I agreed on that, if anything were to happen to Zela...

After about a hour of the pirated sifting below deck, they all returned as a group, each holding a crate full of their spoils. "We searched the entire ship," said one of the Khajiit pirates to Mandran. "We stripped this place dry."

"Excellent," replied Mandran.

"Also, Captain," continued the Khajiit, "we found something that you might find interesting."

"Is that so? Bring it here."

With that, the Khajiit turned toward the door that lead below deck. "Bring her in!" he yelled.

Her?

My worst fear had just manifested right before my eyes. From behind said door, two Khajiits brought Zela forced Zela onto the deck. Her hands were bound behind her back with strong rope. The pair pushed and prodded her toward Mandran as they said "A gift for you, Captain."

Mandran looked upon Zela, n ow bound and defenceless, as one would look upon a concubine: with enthuesium.

"My my," said Mandran with a sinister grin, "what a beautiful young lady we have here. What would be your name, my pretty?"

"Save your breath," snapped Zela. "I am already committed to another."

"Who said anything about commitment? Besides, you are much too beautiful to be my wife. Rather, we should discuss something more along the lines of… servitude. They way I see it, you could serve me very well as a _slave_."

Slave?!

"Again, you waste your breath," said Zela. "I would never join the likes of you!"

"Oh, but it is not a matter of 'you joining me,' but rather, 'me _taking _you!'"

Mandran approached Zela and grabbed her by her raven black hair and held her before Captain Hasphat. "What say you," he asked the captain. "Do you see any issue with me taking her as a personal muse?"

Captain Hasphat knew all too well that I was Zela husband. I expected a reply along the lines of "Yes, I do have issue with that."

Instead, the captain uttered, "Take her if you must… Just leave us."

_That_ was the last straw.

Relinquishing my hide in the shadows, I stepped into the sun drenched center of the deck. The sun bounced off my white robe and revealed my presence to all. "Keep your hands off of her," I declared, "you villainous cur!"

Such was the title I gave Dagoth Ur, if I remember well.

In an instant, the guns of the armed Khajiits turned from the crew of The kraken, to me. The eyes of Mandran shifted to me as well. "And who," he asked, "might you be?"

"_I _ am Zaden the White," I declared, "Nerevar Incarnate, savior of Vvardenfell and Morrowind, slayer of Dagoth Ur, servant of Azura, and , more importantly, that woman's _husband_!"

I fully expected the pirate captain to become furious, but rather, he became instantly intrigued. He make a few quick glances to both Zela and my ring fingers, only to see that they, indeed, both sported engagement rings. "Is that so?" Mandran asked. As he tossed zeal aside like a child would a toy, he slowly approached me, the tips of his fingers cradeling the butt of the pistol he tucked into his belt.

"You know," he continued, "being born in Vvardenfell, I have grown up with many tales of your past life: how you were righteous and pure, but still fell beneath the might of Dagoth Ur. I regarded you, or rather, your past life, a _failure_ to the Dunmer. But now, it would seem that you have returned as an Imperial, the one people we _hate_, and you have succeeded in finishing what you started.

How does it feel, _Nerevar_, to be the icon of those your people hate?" He was trying to antagonize me… and it was beginning to work.

"It matters not to me," I replied.

"Does it? You may think differently when you return to your homeland… that is where you travel, is it not?" I nodded. "Whatever you may have been in your past, you are _Nerevar _now. Do not expect much in the way of open arms when you return. Your own people will view you as an enemy. They will wish you dead!"

"Enough!" I yelled. "Do not distract me from what is at hand. Release my wife this instant!"

"Perhaps you would rather consider a trade?" asked Mandran. "I can pay heavily for her?"

"No amount of riches and wealth could _ever _replace her. I shall ask you only once more: Release her!"

Mandran slowly shook his head. "I tried to like you, Nerevar, I really did, but I can see now that there is no convincing you." He turned to his horde of pirates. "Kill him."

The sounds of cocking flint-lock pistols filled the air, followed soon after by the volley of deafening shots, the whizzing of leads balls through the air as they went racing toward me. Thankfully, though, none were able to penetrate the invisible shield I had cast about me. Through the confusion, Hui finally made _his _appearance from the shadows and cast a multitude of lightening spells toward the pirates. Each and every one hit its mark, killing the Khajiits in a hail of noise and light.

In complete and utter shock, Mandran stood as still as a statue, unable to contemplate what had just happened. With his body now beginning to tremble, Mandran fell to his knees, his blue skinned face now turning pale. With the tides now turned, I approached the quivering Mandran. Unholstering a double barreled shotgun from a holster from my belt… and fired a shell through his heart.

Such was the punishment for hurting Zela.

With all the pirates dead, Zela sprung to her feet and ran to me, embracing me as if we had been apart for an eternity. As she weeped into my chest, I turned to Hui. "Round up some of the crew and search the pirate vessel for the Imperial crew. With a nod, Hui signaled the crew and they immediately walked the plank to the other ship.

As they searched, Captain Hasphat, who had somehow escaped during the lightening barrage, slowly approached me with his head hung toward the floor. "I am… indescribably grateful for what you have done for us. I-"

"Be silent!" I commanded. "I should kill _you _for allowing those pirates to take Zela from me!"

"Please, Nerevar, find it in your heart to forgive me," he said as he fell to his knees into a praying position.

Pathetic. Truly pathetic.

"On _one_ condition," I replied. "Hui, Varon, Zela, and I get _your _quarters for the remainder of the journey."

"But where am I to sleep?" he asked.

"I hear there is a wonderful view in the crow's nest."


	3. The Wall

Chapter 2: Mainland

Our time at sea has finally begun its ware. Fights between members of the crew began to become commonplace. The conditions of the sea did not help the situation either. As we neared the shores of the mainland, the sea grew violent. The sea was no longer calm as we neared our destination: it seemed at times that she was trying to capsize us, as if the sea held a grudge. The nerves of all The Kraken's passengers, including Zela, Hui, Varon, and myself, were beginning to get the best of us.

Thankfully, on the morn of our fifty seventh day at sea, through the thick fog to the West, a beautiful sight laid before us: land. The fishing port of Karthor Oale presented itself before us as if it was a gift from Azura Herself. No word could describe the joy we all shared.

o0o

With seven strikes of the bell, The Kraken was officially docked in the Karthor Oale harbor. Immediately after, the unloading of the ship began. A constant stream of workers was set into motion, loading and unloading supplies. As this work commenced, Hui, Zela, Varon, and I took what were our first steps onto dry land in around two months.

Varon was the most ecstatic of us all.

"Thank the Gods!" he exclaimed as he stepped onto the wooden pier. "No longer shall I suffer that dreaded sea sickness! Never again shall I set foot onto another ship for a long as I live!"

"Glad to see you in such good spirits," chuckled Hui. "Zaden, what are our plans now that we have made landfall?"

"Once the ship is situated, we should go into town for supplies. Then, if all are ready, we can head off for Cyrodiil. It will take a few days to reach the providence's boundaries, then, if we are lucky, a few days to get through." All but Varon laughed from my joke.

"I do not understand," said Varon with a confused look upon his face. "Why would it take days to cross a boundary?"

"Do you not know, Varon?" I asked. "The providence of Cyrodiil is enclosed on all sides by a monumental wall dubbed The Great Cyrodillic Wall', or, to put it simply, 'The Wall.' It was built sometime during the second era and has survived countless siege attempts. I joke in saying that entering will take days because the immigration authority the operates the entrances into Cyrodiil are notorious for being strict in their practices. The legal process of moving from an outer providence into Cyrodiil are said to be a lengthy process."

"Are you not worried that you may be denied entrance, Zaden?"

"Not at all," I replied. "After all, I am a natural born citizen of Cyrodiil, so entering should be no hassle at all."

Just then, Captain Hasphat emerged from the ship, escorting a stable worker that held in each hand the reins of one of our horses: my white stallion, Apoc, and Hui's black stallion, Kalak. He limped over on his wooden peg leg with a look of relief upon his face (probably to have ended the voyage at sea.)

"Well," said the captain at length, "it would seem that our paths must split. While we have had our differences, Nerevar, I would like to say that it has been an honor to serve as your captain."

"And likewise," I replied, "it has been an honor to _serve _you, Captain. What will become of The Kraken, now that her maiden voyage is complete."

"The Kraken will forever more serve as a cargo ship, bringing trade goods between Vvardenfell and the mainland. I shall remain as her captain."

"And the crew?"

"_They_ are under contract by the Blades. They shall remain servants of the ship as well. Oh, before you head off, I have a gift for you." The captain reached into one of the many pockets of his coat and retrieved what appeared to be a compass and placed it into my hands. As I examined it, I found major flaws. It was without cardinal directions and, furthermore, it did not point North, but rather, Northwest.

"I thank you for the gift," I said, "But I believe this compass is broken."

"It is not _broken_," said Captain Hasphat with a grin. "This compass, rather then pointing North, points to what your heart desires the most. What is it you seek here in the mainland?"

"My place of birth," I replied, "and my family. My parents."

"Then _that_ is where it shall point."

Little did the captain know that his gift was more beneficial then he knew. Until this moment, I was essentially blind to the location of my family. Now, with this enchanted device, finding my place of origin would be that much easier. Before I had the chance to thank him again, a ground shaking crash sounded from near the ship. Apparently, as we four and the captain spoke, a crew member who was operating the pulley system that loaded supplies onto the deck failed to pay attention to his duties. In doing so, a number of wooden barrels came crashing down onto the main deck, some being successful in punching strait through the planks.

Needless to say, the captain became enraged.

"You butterfingered malcontents!" he scolded toward the person at fault. "Have you the brain of a fucking Scrib! Your job is fucking simple: make sure shit does not break the fucking ship! Yet you have succeeded in doing just _that_! If we were out at sea, I would have thrown you _right _over the railing. I cannot _believe_ the incompetence that you-"

Before I could listen on further to the captain's ranting, Hui walked up beside me and advised that "It would be best to leave now, before his anger, for whatever reason, turns on _us_."

o0o

As it turned out, Karthor Oale was one of the largest ports on the eastern shores of mainland Tamriel. It seemed like, at all times, a ship was either entering the docks or leaving. Apart from the docks, little more than an eight of a mile away, was the village of Karthor Oale itself. Due to the amount of trade from the docks, the village was a melting pot of different cultures and peoples.

As Zela, Varon, Hui, and I walked through the crowded market of Karthor Oale, we quickly established what was of primary concern to purchase. With our money split evnly between us, we assigned each other a specific task: Zela and Varon volunteered to shop for food for the travels ahead. Hui and I, however, had a much more liberal shopping list but were limited to only purchasing "essentials."

So, naturally, the first place Hui and I stopped off at was a smoke shop, so that we could stock up on pipe tobacco.

After indulging ourselves in that luxury, filling the bowls of our pipes and lighting the leaves, we continued on into the market for _actual _shopping. In actuality, though, there was not much that needed buying. All that truly needed replacing was our cooking gear, which had turned blackened and charred through much use. Replacing that was easy enough. So, with that singular job out of the way, Hui and I decided to head to our rendezvous point early: the local tavern.

Rather then head inside, we smoked our pipes and waited patiently outside for Varon and Zela to return. As we waited, we watched as the myriads of people walked by: mothers and fathers walked together as their children circled ahead and behind them, playing their game of tag without a care to be had. They seemed so content with themselves, both the children and their parents.

I wondered to myself if my _previous _life was as such…

As Hui and I waited, peacefully smoking our pipes, I spied from the corner of my peripheral, to my right, two suspicious characters. Both dressed in dark green dusters and with wide brimmed straw hats atop their heads, the pair strode together, scanning the crowd like a hawk would in search for prey. I told Hui telepathically to keep an eye on the two for _any _sudden movements. Then, as the two passed in front of us, they suddenly came to a halt.

One of the two, without making eye contact, asked me, "Are you he that bares Moon and Star?"

"Who is he that asks?" I asked in reply.

"Allies, perhaps. Why so suspicious? Are you two acquaintances of Moon and Star?"

"… You could say such a statement were true."

The first of the men looked toward his accomplice and gave a light chuckle. "Did I not say he would be as suspicious as a Khajiit on skooma?"

"Indeed you did," the other replied with a nod, "though that is not _necessarily_ a bad thing."

I rose to my feet, Hui joining me shortly after. "What is this about?" I asked.

The eyes of the dusters returned to me. "Nerevar," the first said, "let us be the first to welcome you to the mainland."

Thank Azura they were allies.

With an outstretched arm, I shook hands with both of the Blades and thanked them. "We understand that the providence of Cyrodiil is your homeland, is it not?" he continued. I nodded. "Well, you will find that the influence of the Blades, while still secret, is much stronger. If for whatever reason you need to seek us out, the Blades hold a stronghold located in the northern Jerall Mountains: Cloud Ruler Temple. There, you may seek shelter, food, quests to complete, and whatever we may offer."

The second man reached into a pocket of his duster and retrieved a mint condition map of Cyrodiil. Spreading it flat upon the ground, he marked off a spot near the northers border of the providence. "That is where the temple is located," he explained. "The path to the temple leads to the frozen lands. It is highly recommended that you dress warmly."

With that, I accepted the map, gave them a farewell, and the two left together. Just as they did, Zela and Varon Varvur returned from their shopping. All the food they bought was packed away neatly in the saddlebags of our horses.

"Zaden," said Zela, "who were those men you were talking to? Friends?"

"Members of the Blades," I replied. "They merely gave Hui and I a welcoming to the mainland, supplied us with a map of Cyrodiil, and went on their way."

"Well," said Varon, "if all our supplies have been purchased, are we to head off to the Cyrodiil border now?"

"If we head off at this moment, we will reach it by twilight and, if _extremely _fortunate, spend our first night in the mainland _within _the borders."

o0o

With that somewhat "pie-in-the-sky" declaration, we mounted our horses and followed the westward trail out of Karthor Oale. The lands near Cyrodiil were a drastic change of scenery. In place of great mushroom trees were tall evergreens that reached toward the sky, in place of the dreaded Cliff Racers were _feathered_ birds of prey, such as hawks and falcons. The predators of these lands were no longer the Nix-Hounds, but were now mountain lions and wolves.

Yes, this was _definitely _my homeland. Everything seemed so familiar, so right. For many years, such memories were purged from me. Now, they seemed to come flooding back with every step forward of the horse's hoof.

It would be half-a-day's journey to the borders of Cyrodiil. The sun fell toward the eastern horizon, its warming rays to our backs. We all took this as a good sign, one that foretold a quick entrance to the providence. All previous fears were effectively erased in that instant. As we rode west, our eyes held sight to the splendors that were the mainland forests. One hundred year old pines seemed to touch the sky with their tremendous height, low hanging clouds grazed their needles. I seemed that the more we rode west, the more the geography seemed to rise, climbing at a slow, but steady pace.

After many hours of riding, the sun finally hide behind the horizon and, before us, a monumental construction stood in mour path: The Great Cyrodillic Wall. Built upon the height of a natural ridge, The Wall was optimally placed. The Wall was constructed of mortar and stone, glazed over with a sandstone finish, making it glow a faint orange in the setting light. It reached fifty feet toward the sky and father than we could see to our left and right. Cyrodiil was completely enclosed within this fortification, something The Empire saw as a "necessary step in the protection of their culture.

I saw it as nothing but a monumental waste of stone. No one has dared attack the providence of Cyrodiil for over two centuries, so maintaining such stone seemed a waste of energy, energy that could be used to improve what was contained within.

The dirt trail led to a tall wooden gate, the only through point for many miles. As we approached the gate, the two guards the stood watch there halted us. "Hold!" demanded one of the steel clad guards. "State your business."

"I am a natural born citizen of Cyrodiil," I replied. "I merely wish to return to my home." I was trying to evoke sympathy on my part.

"What of the others? Are they of Cyrodiil?"

"No," I replied, "but I am willing to fill out the necessary immigration forms to allow them entrance."

"… Very well, Imperial. I shall allow you access. Bring your horses to the stable within, then meet with Ontus in customs. He will supply the necessary forms." The guard then turned his gaze toward the top of the wall, where crossbow armed guards had been looking down upon us for the entire ordeal. "Open the gate!" he demanded.

A few moments later, the heavy wooden gates began to creep open upon their massive steel hinges. Within, we surrendered the horses to the stableman and we were escorted to the customs room. There sat Ontus, an elderly Imperial male with deep rinkles upon his face and gray hair, behind a desk, scribing away upon a blank sheet of parchment. About him were many guards that looked to be on break, conversing and carrying on in an informal manner. All were Imperial (save one Dunmer who sat silently in the corner.)

As we four approached the desk, Ontus lifted his head from his work. "Welcome to Cyrodiil, Imperial and friends. I am Ontus, head of immigration customs here in The Wall. Before we can allow you four entrance, you must fill out the necessary forms." With that, the man handed each of us two sheets of parchment. There, we had to fill out what seemed basic information on ourselves: descriptions of ourselves, guild affiliations, occupations, reasons for entering Cyrodiil, and so on. When completed, Ontus reviewed each of our profiles.

When he reached mine, a interested look came upon his face. "It says here… Zaden, that you are a member of the Blades. Is that true?" I nodded. "My family has a history of members of the Blades. The only reason I did not join was because, as you can see, my calling was of a more political nature. Tell me, what is your rank?"

In truth, I had no _true _rank in the Blades, other than… Nerevar.

However, that was something they could _not _know. If I revealed my status, I feared the disposition toward me from the Imperials would be non-contusive to my entrance to Cyrodiil.

"I am… an Operative," I lied. It was a fairly middle rank. I did not want to paint myself _too_ highly.

The Imperial gave me a suspicious eye. "Truly?" he asked. "If such a statement is true, then you _must _know the Code of the Blades by heart by now. Go on, let me hear it.

Shit.

Though a member of the Blades I was, I was never involved in guild business. I was always Nerevar, off on his own quest, a quest independent of Blades rules and regulations.

"… I do not know such a code," I regretfully admitted.

Ontus's face turned from interested to angered in a mere moment. "Then you admit to being an imposter?!" In an instant, the guards about us, as quickly as one can blow out a candle, turned hostile toward me, their hands resting upon the hilts of their weapons.

I quickly raised my hands up in a show of submission. "No!" I replied. "I _am _of the Blades, but my position did not involve learning the intricacies of their rules and regulations."

"And what _possible _rank would allow such a claim?"

There was no escaping it now.

"Nerevar," I replied.

It is strange, really. When I first arrived in Vvardenfell, the Dunmer treated me with hostility. Now that I have returned to my homeland, my own people treat me with the same disrespect (though given a different motive for doing so.)

With that declaration, Ontus, with a stern look upon his face, slowly rose from his chair, walked around his desk, and approached me. "I know of Nerevar," he said threatenly. "I have heard stories from Vvardenfell. They say that Nerevar wishes to rid Morrowind of the "mongrel dogs of the Empire." His words seemed to echo that of Dagoth Ur. "I will not allow such an obvious enemy of the Empire walk upon Cyrodillic grounds!"

"Please, sir, you are mistaken," I pleaded. "Those stories are false. I am not here to rid _anyone _from _anywhere_. I am merely here to seek out my family and-"

"Enough!" Ontus commanded. "I will not hear anymore of your lies." Ontus then pointed to a pair of guards. "Take these enemies of the Emipre away from The Wall this instant!"

o0o

Forced to mount our steed, we were escorted under the points of Imperial cavalier spears back into the providence of Morrowind, in the opposite direction we wished to go. They led us far away from The Wall until it disappeared behind the western horizon. Once there, the guards began to gallop back, leaving us with a single threat: "Return and die."

We four were left speechless. Our only entrance into my homeland seemed an impossibility now. With nothing left to do, we decided to set up camp for the night. Perhaps tomorrow we could enter… though that seemed unlikely.

We sat silently around our fire for what seemed an eternity. Everyone's thoughts were the same: we are helpless in this situation. If we were to return to the gate, our expulsion would be cemented. If we retaliated, the outcome would be the same. Nothing seemed in our favor.

Suddenly, from the silence, Varon made a rather shocking exclamation. "Fucking Imperials!" he yelled. This might have been the first time I ever heard Varon sware. "They are just like _my _people: minds warped by their beliefs! Is it me, Zaden, or are you somehow a magnet to the prejudice and the ignorant?!"

"It sure seems that way," I replied.

"Why did you tell them that you were Nerevar?! You _knew _nothing good would come of it."

"He had me caught in my own lie," I explained. "There was nothing to do but confess."

"You could have lied again, at the least attempt to recite that code."

"I feared the outcome would have been _more _severe if I took such a course of action."

"At any rate," interrupted Hui, "we must devise another plan to enter Cyrodiil."

"Such as?!" Varon taunted angrily. "You heard their warning. If we return, they will try to kill us!"

"Be patient," Hui advised. "I believe our oppertinity will arise shortly."

"How can you be so sure?" I asked.

"Because… some approaches to the West."

As soon as he said that, the snap of a twig sounded from the west. Everyone save Hui jumped to their feet, resting their fingers on their weapons, ready to use them at a moment's notice. "Who goes there?" I called out into the darkness. While no response was given, we could all hear the sound of armored footsteps approaching. "Reveal yourself now before we attack!"

A male Dunmer, clad in Imperial guardsmans armor appeared from the darkness and into the light of our fire. His hand were raised above his head, fear in his eyes. "Do not attack!" he pleaded. "I am a friend."

I recognized his face. "You are the Dunmer from The Wall," I exclaimed. "What brings you here? We have already been removed by your peers."

"I wish not to ridicule you any further, Nerevar. I am here to aid you."

Hands lifter from their weapons and anxieties were instantly lifted. "How so?" I asked.

"Though the main entrances may be denied to you, there are ways to enter undetected. I have been a guard in The Great Imperial Wall for over twenty five years, longer than most people. I know things about this section of the wall that most are not aware of…

There is an old abandoned mine about a few miles to the South. I know for a fact that, if traveled far enough, it leads to an exit on the other side of The Wall. I will lead you to the mine, but unfortunately, I can not show you the way through. I have taken a big enough risk coming here. If I am away from my post for much longer, the others will grow suspicious of me. We must head off now."

With quickened haste, the Dunmer led the way South. Even when fully clad in his armor, the Dunmer was able to run the entire distance to the mine, which turned out to be around five miles. At first glance, the supposed mine entrance looked to me nothing more than a tall rock outcropping, covered in a thick carpet of moss. However, by simply lifting a section of the moss away, the Dunmer revealed an old, wooden door, its hinges rusted to the point of near failure.

We thanked the Dunmer for his aid and prepared to enter. Hui retrieved his wizard's staff from a loop from Kalak's saddle and, with a display of magic, illuminated the crystal placed at its head with the intensity of a campfire. Before we entered, I asked the Dunmer as to _why _he was helping us.

He simply replied, "Where Blades meet, aid is given."

His only other advice was to "Head into the wind."

o0o

Abandoned can only _begin _to describe what this mine was. Not only was it devoid of life, but of light as well. Were it not for Hui's staff, it would have been darker that the center of Nirn. The mine was as dry as a bone, a fine dust hung in the still air, chocking those who breathed deep. A strange, pale mold grew on the cavern walls, sucking up what little moisture remained in the dirt. The air was hot enough to cause beads of sweat to form on everyone's brows.

With each step we took, loud echoes rang off the walls and down into the seemingly endless labyrinth. I could see a visible look of fear on Hui's face for, after all, he disliked the dark. The horses were the hardest to calm down. Apparently, they do not take well to being below ground very well. As we crept through the tunnels, I asked Hui what he thought of the Dunmer's final advice.

"It is quite simple," replied Hui. "You see, spelunkers often employ the services of a mage during their work. There are two reasons for this: one, to help fend off any hostilities, and two, to help find their way out if they become lost. When winds and breezes from the outside find their way into and underground cavern, they are able to blow throughout said cavern." Then, Hui held out his right hand and summoned a simple flame that bathed everything around us in an orange glow. "With that in mind, fire dances and shifts when touched by the wind. If we see which direction the flame shifts, we can follow the source of the breeze and locate our way out."

With his hand held above Hui's head, we stared at the tiny flame, waited for it to shift in any way. For the first minute or so, it did not shift an inch. Then, a sudden breeze swept through the tunnel and the flame began to point in the direction we had just been.

"We continue forward," Hui confidently declared.

Hui practiced this trick throughout the mine, summoning a flame and continuing in the opposite direction it pointed. This made finding our way through the mine much easier. After about thirty minutes of creeping through this abandoned place, we finally reached the exit: another moss-hidden door.

Finally stepping outside, we were instantly cooled off from the midnight air. The two moons were full, casting a pinkish light upon the landscape. A look of relief could be seen on everyone's face (including my own.)

"Welcome to Cyrodill," Hui joked. "I must say, from one who has lived in Vvardenfell for all his life, this place is strange to me."

"The presence of The Empire is strong here, Zaden," said Zela, "and I fear that your identity of 'Nerevar' may complicate our travels (as was evident at The Wall.) Please, my love, if you can, refrain from referring to yourself as 'Nerevar.'"

"That may be a difficult request," I replied. "That would be like asking you to stop referring to yourself as 'Zela.'"

"Well, at the least, please _try_, Zaden."

"Ok, I will."

"Zaden," said Hui, "where it now? You hold the Compass, after all. Where does it point now?"

I quickly retrieved the Compass from one of Apoc's saddlebags and replied, "It points to the North-northwest."

Retrieving the map, Hui studied it for a brief moment before saying, "That would lead us into the Jerall Mountains, in the frozen North. It becomes quite cold during the day and frigid during the nights. We will need to obtain animals skins to wear. Do you think you can accomplish such a task?"

I look down toward my waste, to the two powerful shotguns that sat holstered. I then looked over my left shoulder, where the butt of Blunderbuss peaked over.

"Not a problem," I replied.


	4. Moonshadow

Chapter 3: Moonshadow

Dawn crept upon us like a hunter toward its prey. The forest was cold, a faint layer of frost rested upon the leaves of trees and the ground. The forest was quiet: not a single breeze ruptured the leaves, causing them to sway and hiss, not even the birds were awake, filling the air with their tweets and melodies.

Then, from the silence, footfalls could be heard. These were not the footfalls of man, demon, or daedra, but of beast. A fourteen point buck strode into this particular section of the forest, searching for food. Suddenly, the buck got a whiff of something that smelled good to him. Following the smell to its source, he found a small chunk of salt deposit ties to a string that hung from an arm's height branch. Sensing no harm in taking a lick, the buck began to lap away at the salt lick.

BANG!

A shot rang through the forest. Before the buck had any time to react, a hailstorm of daedric buckshot ripped through his skull, ending its life in a flash. The buck fell dead to the floor with a thud.

Cocking a fresh round into the barrel, I flipped the safety of Blunderbuss back on and sheathed it into one of the scabbard on my back. Retrieving a large knife from my messenger bag, I approached the now slain deer, kneeled over it, and quickly began the process of skinning it and removing cuts of meat from off its bones.

"Not bad, if I say so myself," I commented aloud. "That makes three."

o0o

I returned to Hui, Zela, and Varon sometime later. They had finally awoken and prepared a fire. They huddled around it for warmth. Placed around said fire was a small, metal stand, used to hold pans and kettles above the flame. It currently held the latter, which most likely contained the tea we purchased in Seyda Neen. Taking a seat by the fire between Zela and Hui, I began to reveal from my bag the spoils of my hunt: enough bear furs to cloth all four of us and a generous helping of raw venison.

"We heard your shots echoing from the forest earlier," said Zela, who was pleased to see me return. "I wondered if you would return successful, but I see now that I had nothing to worry about."

"Considering the weapons he wields," added Varon, "I had not a doubt in my mind. I mean no offence, but killing anything with those weapons seems quite easy."

Lifting the kettle off from over the fire, I placed a blackened frying pan on the metal stand and allowed it to heat up. "You think my weapons are _easy _to wield?" I asked Varon.

"I mean, let us be serious for a moment," replied Varon, "it is a simple matter of 'point and shoot,' is it not?"

"Would you be willing to test that claim?"

Taken back by the proposition, Varon sat silently for a brief moment before responding, "Yes, in fact I _would_."

"But you are blind. How can you possibly fire the weapon? It requires that you see your target through the sights."

"Inanimate objects, such as swords and your guns, appear as dark spots against the backdrop of mana I see. I will be able to see the sights just as well as you. Now, are you going to hand me the gun or not?"

Cocky bastard.

Varon and I stood up from the ground in unison. Reaching over my left shoulder, I grabbed the butt of Blunderbuss, slipped it from the scabbard and tossed it to Varon. "Catch."

Varon, with his heightened hearing, was able to catch the gun in midair, but it quickly felt striat to the ground with his arm along with it. "Too heavy for you?" I taunted.

"_No_," he replied as he lifted the gun off the ground and grasped with two hands, "just heavier that I _thought_. Now, what shall be my target?"

With that question, Hui rose to his feet. With a simple motion of his hand, he summoned a hovering orb of energy that glowed a pale purple color. Guideing it with an extended index and middle finger, he positioned the orb about forty feet before Varon. "Seeing as you can see mana," said Hui, "the orb should appear clearly to you."

"Yes, I see it perfectly," replied Varon. With that, Varon began to aim the barrel of the gun toward the orb. Already, I saw a major mistake in how he was aiming. He did not have the butt of the gun pressed against his shoulder. If he fired, the gun would go crashing into his shoulder blade, leaving a rather sizeable bruse.

This was going to be quite amusing.

After a long moment of Varon aiming toward the orb, he suddenly lowered the gun toward the ground. "It will not fire," he said. "The trigger seems stuck."

"The safety is on," I informed him.

Yes, quite amusing, indeed.

After correcting his error, Varon once again aimed toward the orb. Already, his arms were beginning to shake from the weight of the gun. Soon, aiming properly would become impossible. "Sometime today, Varon," I taunted once more, "before your arms give out."

Bang.

The gun fired.

He missed by a mile.

Not only that, but like I predicted, the butt of the gun slammed into Varon's right shoulder with enough force to knock him to the ground, causing him to drop the gun as well. "Damn it," Varon exclaimed, "that hurt!"

Zela, Hui, and I all broke out into laughter. The defeated Varon rose back to his feet, picking the gun off the ground, and placed it back into my hands. "I would seem that I underestimated your skills, Zaden."

"Please," I replied, "do not feel defeated. Nothing can be mastered in an instant. Now, let me show you how it is done." Quickly cocking a new shell into the chamber, I aimed the weapon with a single outstretched arm toward the target, pulled the trigger, and hit my mark, the orb exploding in a shower of purple sparks.

"Damn showoff," Varon muttered jokingly beneath his breath.

When we finally returned to our spots around the fire, the pan was finally hot enough to begin cooking. I retrieved a few cuts of venison from the bag and threw them on, the aroma of cooking meat quickly filled our noses.

As I waited for the meat to cook, Zela began to examine the brown bear furs I had collected. "There appears to be enough for me to make clothing for us all," she commented before reaching into her bag and retrieved a small sewing kit.

"I did not know you were handy with a needle, Zela," I commented.

"In truth, I am _not_ very skilled," she replied. "However, I know enough to be able to make some crude shirts and leggings. They will keep us amply warm if we are to continue north into the Jerall Mountain range. Your village is there, is it not?" she asked me.

"If the Compass is any indication, I believe it will be," I replied.

"Do you not recall _any _memories of your village? Any at all?"

"… No, I cannot. You know as well as I that, ever since my arrival to Vvardenfell, the memories of my previous years have been hidden away. I can only remember so much now, but-"

"Please, Zaden," continued Zela, "at the very least, _try _to remember _some _aspect of your village. Anything you can unearth will aid us in figuring out its location."

"… Very well, I shall try."

I closed my eyes and began to meditate, much like I did beneath the Tree of Dawn. Soon, all outside distractions were purged: the feel of the cold air, the smell of the cooking venison, the sounds of the hissing leaves above. I was within my own impenetrable bubble, where nothing could affect me. My mind began to drift deep into the corners of my mind, unearthing thoughts I have not touched upon in many years.

"I see… snow… mountains to the North… a village… its buildings circle around a centerpiece… a formation of rock… taking the shape of… a dragon's claw."

Suddenly, Hui's voice came ripping through the bubble, effectively ripping my from my meditative state. "That is it!" he exclaimed. "I know what village you speak of!"

"You do? What is it?!"

"Draconia. The village of Draconia. It is a small hamlet, surrounded on all sides my tall mountains. Reaching it will be a difficult task, for there are only a limited number of entry ways."

"… How in Oblivion do you know this?" I asked Hui.

Reaching into his bag, Hui retrieved his map of Cyrodiil, placed it upon the ground, and unrolled it, displaying the expertly printed map within. "It does well to study one's maps," Hui replied. With an outstretched claw, Hui pointed to a point near the center of the Jerall Mountain range. Zeal and I scooted in closer and peered closer to the map. Varon, however, who had no such love for the printed medium, remained where he was, and listened to Hui's words instead.

"This is where the village of Draconia is located. Now, if you pay heed to the surrounding area, you will notice a many number of mountain peaks circling it. This is how Draconia had been able to stay secluded for so long: no one would be foolish enough to attempt to traverse those high points."

"But if we are to reach the village," I said, "then would we not be forced to do the same?"

"Not exactly. Upon examinations of _other _maps, and through various texts, written by explorers from years past, I am _convinced_ that there is a hidden pass that not many know of, a path that will take us through a narrow cut in the mountain. It will shorten what otherwise would be a three day climb, to a one day walk."

"This… This is good news, Hui," I said, "but something worrys my thoughts… If this pass is as efficient as you imply it is, why is it that it is hidden, and not known to many?"

"Well, there is much in the way of superstitious lore retaining to that pass. Some say that they have spotted powerful daedra near said pass. Some tell stories of those who enter the pass and never reemerge from the other side… But, of course, that _is _superstition, after all.

We have nothing to fear."

o0o

Four days of travel atop our horses had finally led us into the Jerall Mountains. With each of those passing days, we could literally see the world around us turn cold. With each day, frost upon all unmoving object became more apparent, our breaths became more visible as well, and, near the second day, I witnessed the first snow I had seen in _years_.

The fur clothing Zela stitched for us, which we all wore beneath our robesm turned out to be _excellent _in keeping our bodies warm. With the extra furs that were left unused, Zela was also able to make some temporary linings to the hoods of our robes, adding even more warmth. Even still, with all the fur that enclosed us, the Jerall Mountains were _cold_.

On the fourth day, snow turned from occasional to constant. Though it came down in a light manner, it was still a nuisance as it was. The further North we went, the deeper the carpet of snow became. What started off on the second day as a mere dusting, turned to snow that reached the knees of our horses on the forth. We could not survive in these conditions for long. We needed shelter.

On the sixth day of travel, the second day within the mountain range, we were able to reach the summit of a high mountain ridge. From there, we could see far to both the North and South. From here, it seemed the entire Jerall mountain range was splayed before us, enchanting us with its natural beauty. As we overlooked the range, I noticed, about a day's travel away, a strange land formation to the northwest. To attempt to visualize the formation: imagine if an ax blade too massive to put into words came crashing down upon a snow capped mountain ridge, creating a narrow cut through it. _That _was what I saw.

"Hui!" I called out to him. "Can you see that narrow cut in the range to the northeast? Is that our pass."

Hui gave a nod in response. "Indeed it is," he replied.

Given another day's travel in the unforgivable frozen lands that were the Jerall mountains, we reached the threshold. Indeed, as I visualized, the pass was a strait cut through the mountain, the opening on the other side nothing more that the tiniest specs of light in the distance. The pass was very narrow: it seemed that we only had enough room to ride our horses shoulder to shoulder.

We entered the narrow pass without as much as another word. As we entered, we all came under the realization of the inherent danger of this place. Being as narrow as this place was, we were venerable to attack. If, perhaps, loose rock would fall upon us, there was little place to escape to. Not only that, but it could very well impede our progress. On top of that, if we _were _to come under attack, we could easily be surrounded.

As it turns out, _all _such assumptions came true.

As we neared the halfway point in the pass, a loud and thunderous rumble shook the walls. Looking up, we bared witness to a cascade of boulders bearing down upon us. Snapping the reins of our horses, we quickly turned around and tried to outrun the avalanche. We barely escaped, and the boulders fell into a great pile, thus impeding our path to the other side.

Before I could even exclaim an expletive, my second fear came true. A trio of Winged Twilights came swooping down from the sky and knocked us from our steeds. Quickly jumping to our feet, we brandished our weapons, ready to use them against these adversaries.

"Who dares enter our pass?" asked one of the daedra.

"We merely wish to pass through," I replied. "Let this encounter not result in bloodshed."

"This pass belongs to our Goddess! Only _She_ can allow mortals such as yourselves to pass through… and _you_ have no such permission."

"… Wait a moment… Your _Goddess_? Do you perhaps refer to Azura?"

"Yes, as a fact of the matter, we _do_. What is it to you, _human_?"

"I am Nerevar Incarnate" I declared, "one of Her most faithful servants."

"Lies! What proof do you have to your claim?"

Dismounting Apoc, I approached the Winged Twilight, taking care not to show fear. Removing the glove from my left hand, I revealed not only the Moon and Star insignia imbedded into my skin, but the _ring _Moon and Star as well. There was no denying it _now_.

The face of the Winged Twilight turned to shock. "By our Goddess's graces, it truly is you! Since that is the case… it is more than coincidence that you have come here."

"What do you mean daedra?"

"Trouble has arisen from Her realm of Moonshadow. She has request that you have audience with her. Follow, Nerevar and friends."

Mounting my steed once again, we followed the Winged Twilights as they approached the pile of boulders. With a single wave of a wing, the boulders were levitated back above the ridge. As we followed, Zela nudged my shoulder from behind.

"_Aruza _seeks your presence!" she said. "I have always wondered what She was like. Is she as perfect as you describe?"

I nodded. "She is," I replied. "Her beauty is something to behold Zela. Of course, it is nothing compared to _you_."

"Oh please, how could _I _surpass a God? I suppose we shall see soon enough."

After about an hour of following, they halted before a strange formation of rock in the ridge wall. It looked inconsistent to what was around it: where all other rock surfaces were jagged and uneven, this section was flat and as smooth as the surface of a wooden table. With another wave of their wings, the section of smooth rock slid open to the right like a sliding door. Instantly, we were hit with a gust of the warm air from within.

We followed the daedra inside and the door slowly shut behind us. Overcome with the heat from within the room, we began to strip ourselves of our fur shirts and leggings. I took an assessment of the room: all the walls, the floor, and the ceiling seemed to be made from the same piece of rock. It was carved with such precision and perfection, it looked to be nothing less than the work of a God. I also noticed that the wall opposite of the door was bathed in darkness.

With yet another wave of their wings, the darkened wall was instantly bathed in an unknown light. There, standing fifteen feet tall, standing atop a pedestal, was a statue that depicted, as best as the stone medium could, the beauty that was Azura. She stood with outstretched arms, as if preparing for warm embrace. In her right hand, she held a seven pointed star, and in her right was a crescent moon.

One of the Winged Twilights approached the statue and bowed before it. "My Goddess, Mother of The Rose, Queen of The Night Sky, Queen of Dawn and Dusk, I bring before you your most faithful of servants, Nerevar Incarnate."

The room went dead silent for a moment in time. Suddenly, the statue began to stir. First, the eyes of Azura began to glow an incandescent violet, then Her arms broke their position, followed shortly after with the movement of the rest of Her body. Her head slowly turned to me. "Come closer, Nerevar," She said with Her perfect voice.

Overcome with emotions, I approached the statue of Her greatness. "You have summoned me?" I asked Her.

She gave a slight nod and gave a slight smile. "That I did," she replied. "As my servants have no doubt informed you, there is trouble in my realm of Moonshadow. There has arisen a dark presence that threatens to rupture is existence. If left to its own devices, this presence will bring about the end of Moonshadow, and thus, the beauty in the mortal realm.

Unfortunalty, for reasons unbeknownst to myself, I cannot retaliate against this being. That is why I have called upon you to rid my realm of this evil presence."

I looked to the comfort of my friends, who were too enthralled to be in the presence of Azura to give any response. Turning back to the statue, I gave my response. "I shall do your bidding, my Goddess. Send me to your realm, and I shall vanquish this thing."

The slight smile upon Azura's face faded. "Unfortunately, it is not as simple as I make out to be. I cannot simply send you to my realm. Mortals cannot look upon the beauty of my realm, for they would be instantly be blinded by it. No, to enter Moonshadow, you must, unfortunately, surrender your mortality."

"… I do not understand, my Goddess. What is it that you ask of me?"

"Zaden, to enter Moonshadow… you must die."

Turning back to my friends, the looks upon their faces could not be categorized. The most extreme forms of shock, despair, and fear were what I saw. Overcome with such emotions, Zela marched past me and stood defiantly before the statue of Azura. "Has the Queen of Dawn and Dusk gone mad?!" the bluntly exclaimed. "Why do you wish my husband dead?!"

I was about to stop Zela from carrying on any further, but Azura raised he hand. "Do not worry, Zaden. Zela's worries are completely understandable. An explanation must be given.

You see, my beautiful Dunmer, if I were to send Zaden to Moonshadow as he was, he would be in mortal form. He would be blinded by the beauty that is Moonshadow, thus making him useless for the task I have for him. However, if he surrenders his mortality, I will send his released spirit to my realm, and he will be able to see as well as he currently does.

I do apologize for what may seem an inconvenience, but this is the _only _way this can be done."

Zela fell to her knees in despair. Tears began to flow like the River Odai and dripped to the stone floor. As I bent donw and rubbed her back in an attempt to comfort her, I inquired Azura as to "How must I die?"

"Either by your hands," She replied, "or by the hands of another, it matters not. All that _does _matter is that it must be done soon. The evil presence will not wait for your arrival, Nerevar, and I fear that Moonshadow will fall by day's end."

With seemingly no other alternative, I attempted to comfort Zela further. Tilting her head up, I looked into her now swollen eyes. "I cannot begin to imagine the pain you are feeling right now, my love, but I must heed this call."

"You promised me, Zaden," Zela sobbed, "that you would not leave my side! You promised!"

Now tears began to swell in _my _eyes as well. "I am sorry, my sweet." As she lowered her head back to the ground, I signaled Hui over. When he came, I told him to "Cover her ears and avert her eyes. I wish not for her to witness my next actions." With a nod, Hui took Zela by the hand and led her to the farthest corner from the statue.

With her senses impaired, I followed through on the act of taking my life. Retrieving a gun from its holster, I placed the barrels beneath my chin and, with one final deep inhale… squeezed both triggers.

o0o

Suicide was strange. I did not feel the penetration of the buckshot, nor the bang the shells produced. Simply, in an instant, quicker than the blink of an eye, my world went black, devoid of any sight, smell, taste, touch, taste, and hearing. I wondered if all victims of death experienced this.

Suddenly, from the dark abyss, a beautiful voice called out to me. It repeated the words "Fear not, for I am watchful." It first began as a whisper, but then grew in volume with each reiteration. Soon, it was spoken until the point of deafening.

Then, for a split second, Azura stood before me.

"Saved."

o0o

Plucked from the darkness, I was now bathed in blinding white light. I could not see where I was, only that I was lying flat upon my back. Then, one by one, my senses returned. The air smelled sweet of flowers, perfume, and wonderful scents I have never smelled before. I could then _taste _the sweetness of the air. Then, I could _feel_ the ground beneath me, the touch of soft grass. My hearing returned shortly after: the air was filled with the melodies of birds, melodies so complex and beautiful, they would feel at home in an orchestra.

Finally, my sight returned. With my head flat upon the ground, my first sight was the sky above, which was a beautiful aqua color and studded with stars (though it was the middle of the day. Regaining my strength, I finally pushed myself in sitting up off the ground. Now I bared witness to what was about me. I was in the center of a small grassy clearing, the grass vibrant colors of metallic gold and copper, in the center of a dense forest. The trees were unbelieveable colors, as well: the bark looked to be made of sterling silver and the oval shaped leaves looked to be made of mirrors.

"Could this place be… Moonshadow?" I asked aloud.

Rising to my feet, I admired all that was around me. This realm was so full of color, of such beauty; I feared that I would become lost in it. I feared that I might never wish to leave. However, a sudden stroke of thirst seemed to hit me like a lead weight, and snapped me from my trance.

"Does this realm have water?" I thought to myself.

Then, from the forest, a lunar moth appeared fluttering into the clearing. It landed upon my shoulder for a brief moment and said to me "Follow," then fluttered off to the West (or what I assumed was West.)

Ready to accept _anything _this realm would send my way, I followed the lunar moth deeper into the forest. The rays of light from the pink sun were impeded from the reflective leaves, causing the path I walked to become very dark. In this darkness, the moth illuminated itself in a mint green aura, thus making it an easier thing to follow. I asked the moth "Where are you taking me?" It replied with silence.

After following this creature for a long while we happened upon a river of silver water that sat at the bottom of a small dip in the geography. Resting upon a flat boulder, the moth told me to "Drink." I walked to the water's edge and bent down onto my knees. I could see my reflection on the water's surface as well as I would by looking into a mirror. Cupping my hands together, I scooped up a portion of the water and took a light sip of it.

"It… It tastes like-"

"Do you enjoy it?" asked Azura from behind me.

Jumping to my feet from shock, I whipped around to see Azura, in solid tangible form, laying upon the rock in a somewhat seductive pose. "Do you enjoy the river's water?" she asked again. "How does it taste?"

Normally, I would have gladly indulged Her question. However, today, I held anger toward Azura for what she forced me to do. I met her question with a stern stare.

She could sense my anger. "You are hostile toward me, Nerevar," She said. "What be the reason?"

"You know damn well what the reason is!" I snapped back. Was it wrong to talk back to a _God_? "How could you force me to do such a thing, to take my own life, in the presence of my loved one, no less! Have you no compassion?!"

Surprised to see how blunt I was with Her, Azura stood up from Her pose and folded Her hands on Her lap. "I _do _apologize for that, Nerevar. I feel terrible for having you to commit such an act. Believe me, if there was another way, I would have told you. Unfortunately, there was not.

Now, to switch gears… What do you think of my realm of Moonshadow?"

"It is… different, to say the least," I replied.

"Is it not beautiful in every sense of the word?"

"Beauty can be found anywhere, and it varies in the eyes of each individual. While I do admit that this realm is visually pleasing, there is much in the mortal realm that I would prefer over this realm."

"Such as?"

"_Water _that tastes like _water_, and not like aged burbon."

Azura gave a small chuckle and rose to her feet. "In truth, Nerevar," She said, "the waters of my realm taste differently to each individual drinker. It mimics the taste of your favorite beverage."

"I see… What do _you _taste, Goddess?" I asked.

"… I taste _water_."

Suddenly, from far to the West, from deeper in the forest, a boom ripped through the air and shook the ground along with it. A huge ball of black fire and a tall mushroom cloud of smoke rose hundreds of feet into the sky, blocking the rays of the pink sun, casting the forest into darkness. With that great rupture, the perfection about us began to change: the air no longer smelled sweet, the color of the trees began to fade to bland grays, and an eire silence was all that could be heard.

"That be the presence?" I asked Azura.

"That it is," She responded. "I shall leave you to your work, Nerevar. Be careful: his magic is strong and he only grows stronger by ripping my realm of its mana. He must be dealt with quickly." Azura then vanished, leaving me alone to face this unknown threat.

Removing Blunderbuss from its scabbard and flipping the safety to the "Off" position, I followed the plume of destruction to its source. The closer I stepped toward the looming cloud, the more decayed and ravaged the land seemed to become. The ground became littered with the corpses of the woodland animals that lived in it. Coming into a quarter mile of the epicenter of the blast, the trees no longer remained. Disintegrated away from the heat, all that was left was a blackened, barren wasteland.

As I neared the plume, a figure appeared from its center. This figure, cloaked like the Grim Reaper, hovered menacingly above the ground. His face was hidden beneath his hood in the darkest of shadows. When his gaze fell upon me, he hovered to a stop.

"So," he growled in the voice of a demon, "the servant has arrived. As I scorched this realm, I began to wonder if _any _opposition would be sent to silence me. Never did I expect Nerever Incarnate to grace my presence.

Before out senseless fight comes to fruition, I wish to ask you something: Why is it that you fight for Her? Is it that you are merely loyal to those who aid you… Or, perhaps… you wish to _be _with Her?"

"What nonsense you speak!" I retorted back. "How could you suggest such a thing?"

"Because, Nerevar, I _know_ you have thought such things, and they plant seeds of doubt and betrayal into your subconscious… Azura loves you, you know. She loves you like a wife loves their husband. She wishes you for Herself, regardless of the fact that you are already committed to another."

"… How can you be sure?" For whatever reason, I was beginning to believe his words.

"I have seen how She acts in your presence, how the tone of Her voice changes when She speaks to you. She holds undeniable love toward you… I suspect you can see it as well.

I also wish to ask this: Will you _accept_ such love from Her? Will you abandon your marriage and-"

"Enough of this talk!" I exclaimed. "Why are you here? Why do you wish to destroy the realm of Moonshadow?"

" I am here to make way to the events that are to come," he replied. "With Azura stricken from interfering, _my _lord will have that much less opposition to inact his plans for the mortal realm."

"What plans? What lord do you speak of?"

"That will become apparent to you in the course of time, but for now… I believe you were sent to kill me, were you not?" I nodded in reply. "Then please, begin. I shall allow you the first blow."

I wasted no time. Unholstering the shotgun on my right, I fired both rounds into the being's chest. The buckshot merely passed right through him, thin whips of smoke emanated from where they pass through. Swapping guns and firing two more rounds, the effect was the same.

The being retaliated by throwing from its right arm a ball of black fire. Stepping to the left to dodge, I fired a spell of my own, and to my surprise, a fierce column of _blue_ flames eminated from my palm, and it engulfed him entirely. This time, my attack made contact, but when the flames cleared, he stood unscathed.

Levitating himself off the ground ten feet into the air, he fired black fire into the sky, which then fell down upon me like a heavy rain. I cast a shield above my head that protected me, but even so, it _barely_ held to the barrage.

The being then summoned a sword of black smoke in his right hand. Launching himself downward from the sky, he grasped the sword in both hands and prepared to deliever a powerful downward chop. With barely enough time to unsheathe my own sword and fall into a fighting stance, I was able to block his attack. With immence strength, he bared down me.

As our swords were locked, I got a better look at my opponent. Before, I assumed he was wearing a black robe, but in fact, he was surrounding himself in a thick black smoke, and he manipulated it into the _form _of a robe. Unable to hold off his strength any longer, I pushed his sword aside and rolled out from beneath him.

I launched another spell at the being. Sending a frost spell in his direction, a varitable blizzard engulfed the being, encasing him an boulder of twelve inch thick ice. Before he could break through, I launched a lightening spell at my now immobilized opponent. Rather than my normal white lightening, a brilliant purple lightening leapt from my fingertips and struck the ice with great force. The frozen water shattered, and the being was sent flying backwards twenty feet. For the first time in the battle, he grunted in pain.

"If I am to defeat him before day's end," I thought to myself, "I need to harness the mana of this land." I then attempted to reach the mana currents beneath my feet… only to find that, in this place, where the being scarred and blackened it, there were _none_. Just as Azura mentioned, this being was destroying the mana of Moonshadow. If I were to harness it, I needed to leave this area and reach undisturbed land.

As the being began to rise to his feet, I launched another frost attack at him. Once again enclosed in ice, I took that opportunity to run away from this area. About a quarted mile away, the forest was unscathed, and I could sense vast amounts of mana flowing through it. I only had a few moments before he would break free. Using all the strength in my legs, I sprinted toward the refuge of the unmarred forest.

I made it about half the distance before the frozen statue that was the being stirred. With a powerful blast that shook the ground, the being broke free from his frozen imprisonment. Assisted by his magic, he easily caught up to me by means of levitation. Positioning himself between me and the undamaged forest, he cast a levitation spell upon me and threw me to the side as if I was a ragdoll. I bounced and scraped along the ground for about forty feet, incurring long burns along the exposed skin and extremities.

The being was already on top of me by the time I returned to my feet. Brandishing our swords once again, they met blows. Every attack he made, I blocked, and every attack _I_ made, _he_ blocked. With our swords, we were evenly matched. It was in the realm of _magic_ that we differed greatly. Where I was a battlemage, my magic solely offensive, _his _magic was more diverse, possessing the abilities to levitate and affect the opponent's body _directly_.

Breaking free from the sword duel, the being summoned a cloud of black smoke from his arm. Said smoke quickly enveloped me and, in an instant, I could not breathe. I clutched my chest and desperately attempted to fill my lungs with air, but within the cloud, it was impossible. The being then, struck me with a powerful blast of telemetry, and I was once again thrown another thirty feet or so. Thankfully for me, he threw me in the wrong direction.

When I finally stopped tumbling, I found that I was on _unscarred_ land, where the mana was strong, and I was able to _harness_ it.

Jumping to my feet, I channeled the mana from the ground, into my legs, and then into my arms. Overcome with power, I released a powerful lightening spell that connected with my opponent and it coursed throughout his body. He was suddenly paralyzed from the spell, and his extremities began to convulse wildly. Now, the being began to _scream_ in pain, a sign that the tides had finally turned in my favor. Channeling even more power into the attack, his screams grew even louder. I maintained the assault for a full minute, until the screams ceased, and his body became limp.

Ceasing the onslaught, the being's body fell to the ground with a satisfying thud. To make sure that he would not rise to his feet ever again, I channeled more mana and threw a searing ball of fire into each of his extremities, disintegrating them in an instant.

I walked over to my now _defenseless_ opponent. The silver glow in his eyes had now faded to a dull gray, signifying that he had been mortally wounded. His breaths were now irregular and pained. He did not have long to live.

"You… have bested me, Nerevar," the being admitted. "I underestimated your skill. How was it possible?"

"Unlike _you_," I said, "who seeked to destroy mana wherever it was, I _harnessed _its power. My potential at that point was _infinite_."

"… Kill me, if you wish, Nerevar. My has failed here." I unsheathed my sword and aimed the tip of the blade at the being's heart. "Just be wary," he continued, "of what I spoke of, Nerevar: Azura wants you for Herself. Do not fall prey to her charm and beauty."

With that last warning, I raised my sword high above my head, swung downward with all my might, and plunged the blade into the being's forehead. His death was signified by him turning into a plume of black smoke and then fading off into the sky above.

With a sigh of completion and the personal declaration of "It is finished," I suddenly had a strange feeling overcome my body. I felt myself become exponentially weaker by the second. My vision became impaired, blurred to the point that my eyes became useless. I soon fell to the ground, unable to even support my own body weight.

A split moment before I slipped from consciousness, the same beautiful voice from before uttered onto me, "You are safe."

o0o

I awoke an undeterminable amount of time later in a heavy daze, the pink ceiling above me spinning madly, as if I was in a dream. Slowly, but surely, the spinning dissipated, and I was finally able to _clearly _see where I was. I was laying atop a plush bed, in the center of, what looked to me, a large rose. The sunlight from the outside shown through the thin, flower pedal walls and casted a calming light throughout the room. When my head seemed to finally clear, I stood up from my bed and got a better assessment of my surroundings. To my right, standing next to the bed, was a small oak table that had atop it all my gear: weapons, messenger bag, and clothing.

It was only then did I realize that I was completely naked. Why that was, I do not know.

Quickly slipping on my clothing and strapping on my weapons, I decided to expolore this strange place. Taking the only door out of the room, I walked into an expansive grand hall which, as well, seemed to be placed within a large, pink rose. The floors were decorated with beautiful white marble, indescribable chandeliers burned overhead, and from some unknown source, a piano played a soft and whimsical melody. A grand stairwell, its banisters made from solid gold, lead upward to the second floor. As I walked toward the center of the grand hall, Azura's voice seemed to emanate from the top of the stairwell.

"Come to me," She whispered.

I did just that, and followed the voice up the stairwell and to the second floor. When I reached said floor, I found that Azura was not there. Then, Her voice called out again, but this time, it came from down a hallway to my right. I followed it to its end, only to have the voice call out from being a small, opaque glass door.

Opening it, I was instantly hit with a gust of fresh air from the outside. The door led to a balcony that held host to a grand view of Moonshadow. Off in the far distance, a lake shimmered with silver waters, a vast forest of colors laid beyond it, and there was not a cloud to be seen.

There, sitting at a small, round table, was Azura. The table was decorated with a delicate white table covering and was adorned with an exquisite tea set: its cups, kettle, saucers, implements, and so on, were made from untarnished gold.

Azura, with a graceful hand, pointed to a chair opposite of her. "Please," she said, "join me."

I was more than happy to accept.

Taking a seat, I poured myself a cup and took a light sip. I was suddenly overcome with memories. "This tea," I commented. "This tea tastes of the tea from Seyda Neen."

"I knew it to be your favorite," She replied, "so I took it upon myself to fetch some for this occasion. Please, drink as much as you like, for there is plenty to be had."

Azura and I spent the next few, silent moments in each other's company, sampling the delectable drink that was prepared. As I drank, I could not help but notice that, every moment or so, I caught, Azura gazing at me with… _loving _eyes.

"This is truly wonderful," I said to Azura, "but is there a reason that you have summoned me here, to this balcony?"

"Only so that I may personally thank you for your services," She replied with a warm smile. "For a moment, I feared that you might have fallen beneath the might of that dreadful thing… but I can see now that such thoughts were unnecessary. You have _truly _been my most faithful of servants, Nerevar, and for that, I thank you."

Finishing one final cup of the wonderful tea, I rose to my feet. "I thank you for this time together," I said, "but, if you will allow it, I would like to return to my friends."

Azura stood up from her chair as well and approached me with perfect grace. "Wait but a moment, Nerevar," She said. "I have still to _personally _thank you for your service."

"… I do not underst-"

Before I could finish that last word, Azura's lips made contact with mine. They were soft, like the skin of a newborn. With loving embrace, She continued to _thank _me for what seemed a blissful eternity. However, at the same time, I was struck with worry.

At great length, her lips finally broke from mine. "You know, Nerevar," She said, "I have never felt such… _love_… for another person before. It is a strange emotion, love. It twists our perceptions, and causes us to do things that, in our right mine, we would never do. You hold such love toward Zela, it makes me, and dare I say it… _jealous_.

It was just as the being had foretold. Azura had true _love _toward me!

"Please, my Goddess," I said, attempting to persuade Her away from such feelings, "I am committed to another, to Zela. This relationship would be immoral!"

"There are no rules that state that a God cannot share love toward a mortal," She replied.

"But I am married to Zela!"

"She need not know, Nerevar. This could be our own secret, one hidden from all others. We can meet when you dream, and we can be together. You and I, Nerevar, together, in this perfect paradise I have created. We can-"

Before She could continue any further, I ripped myself from Her tender embrace. "Enough!" I exclaimed. "I apologize, Azura, but I simply cannot agree to this union!"

Azura reeled back ever so slightly. The love in Her eyes slowly turned to despair. "… I see," She whispered. "I suppose I cannot force this upon you, Nerevar… I apologize for my behavior… If you wish, I can send you back to the mortal realm, to be reunited to your friends."

I gave a simple nod in reply.

With a motion of Her hand, a ring of orange light circled me, and a column of orange light soon surrounded me. With a final "Farewell," I was plunged into the darkness once again.

o0o

I woke up in the stone room of Azura's shrine. I slowly reached for my head to check for any gaping exit wounds, only to find that I was without one. Turning my head to my left, I saw Hui sitting next to me, his head bowed to the stone floor, puffing away from his pipe. "Hui," I whispered.

Hui's head suddenly lifted. "You have returned," he whispered back with a smile. "Were you successful in completing your task."

"Yes," I grunted and I sat up from the floor. "The realm of Moonshadow has been rid of the destructive presence."

"How was Moonshadow, Zaden? Was it as beautiful as the stories tell it is?"

"That," I replied, "is not of importance. How is Zela? Is she all right?"

"… She was very much heartbroken when you left us, Zaden. She cried herself to sleep about an hour ago."

I looked toward the far corner of the room. There, partially hidden in the darkness, Zela was resting upon a small bedroll, with Varon by her side. I slowly crept over and took a seat next to her. I then gently shook her. "Zela," I whispered. "Wake up, Zela."

With a soft moan, Zela stirred from her sleep, slowing peaking open her beautiful eyes. "Zaden?" she sleepily asked. "You have returned?"

"Zela, I cannot even begin to understand the sadness I have caused you to experience, but I promise you, I will do whatever it takes to make it up to you. I promise to-"

Suddenly, Zela reached out with her arms and wrapped them around me tightly. "Shut up, Zaden," she wept, "just shut up."

* * *

**Author's Notes: Damn, this chapter came out longer than I expected to. Sorry it took this long to post it, but with college and all that stuff, it was hard to find time to settle down and write. Not to mention that I was, on numerous occasions, stricken by writer's block. Anyways, I hope you have enjoyed the story so far. More to come soon, so stay faithful, my fellow readers!**


	5. Draconia

Chapter 4: Draconia

When that service was completed, we geared up once again and headed back into the dreaded cold. The Winged Twilights were kind enough to see us safely to the other end of the pass. However, once said destination was reached, they could go no further, for they were bound by their mistress to this place. With our final farewells, Zela, Varon, Hui, and I headed off into the unknown.

According to our map, we were but another day's ride until our destination.

o0o

The cold of this area seemed stronger than usual. The snow ceased to fall since the night of the previous day (do in part to said cold.) The effectiveness of the bear furs was beginning to wane and soon, and if it grew any colder, they would surely fail. However, to keep us warm, we would share stories as we rode. Eventually, the stories shifted to my experiences in Moonshadow.

"Was the realm truly beautiful?" asked Zela at one point during our journey.

"In fact, it was," I replied. "The trees seemed to be made from precious metals, the air was sweet with fragrance, and the palace of Azura was something to behold."

"You have been to Her palace? The Rose Palace? Stories saw that it is made from rose pedals. Is that true?"

I nodded. "Every room of the palace seemed to be _within_ the flower of a rose. It was there that Azura thanked me personally for vanquishing the foe that seeked to destroy Moonshadow."

"How did She thank you?" asked Zela. "A gift of some sorts?"

… Zela could not know of the kiss Azura forced upon me.

"You could say that," I finally replied.

For whatever reason, Zela decided to drop the conversation _there_. It was most likely due from the cold. We were not so far North and the air was so cold, it hurt our throats to breath. Shallow breaths kept the pain at bay.

Upon the sunrise of another day of travel, we four came upon the northern borders of Cyrodiil. To the North, a insurmountable mountain range loom in the distance, and built atop their peaks was the Great Imperial Wall. I found it implausible that there would be sentries guarding that section of the wall. It would be simply too cold.

At around mid day, we took shelter from the blistering winds behind a large Cliffside. There, we began to unpack the "fire kit" and started a small fire, on which the venison would be cooked. However, when I reached for a cut of the venison, I felt nothing but ice cold chunks. Stricken by fear, I turned my bag upside down and dumped the venison onto the floor for all to see. What was once soft, manageable venison, was now effected by the cold, and was turned into rocks of frozen muscle.

"The food has gone to waste!" I exclaimed. "It is all but frozen!"

"Can you not cook it still?" asked Zela with chattering teeth. "Is it still edible?"

"Not a chance," I replied. "The meat has been ruined by the cold. It is uneatable at this point."

"Then what are we to eat?" she asked.

I stood up and took a survey of the landscape. Though this mountainous, snow covered place was certainly abundant with tall pines, nothing in the way of wildlife could be seen. Just then, we heard a booming noise come from our rights, about a hundred yards in front of us. It was the sound of trees, crashing to the ground with tremendous force. Following wwere the sounds of heavy footsteps and then the trumpet of a monstrous beast.

From the forest came a herd of four legged beasts that were tall a houses. They were covered in a thick coat of brown fur. From their heads hung a long, flexible a appendage that resembled a snake (save the head), and from each corner of their mouths curled a long, ivory tusk. These magnificent creatures traveled in a group of no less than twenty and they shook the ground with every footfall.

"What be these creatures?" I asked aloud.

"Mammoths," replied Hui, "or 'Woolies'. They are a species exclusive to the Jerall Mountains. Though they may seem docile, you must take heed when you venture near them. They have been known to attack unprovoked."

These beasts would supply us with enough meals to last us for a long time. I slipped Blunderbuss from its scabbard.

"Wait, Zaden," said Hui. "Do you mean to take down one of these creatures?"

"We know not how much longer our journey to Draconia will be. Even one of these Mammoths will supply us with more than enough food to last us many days. If we are to survive, one must fall." With that statement and with Blunderbuss in hand, I slowly began my approach of the herd.

Using the thick evergreen forest as cover, I crept ever closer toward the head of the pack. Peering from behind the trunk of the tree, I spotted a suitable prey: a medium sized Mammoth that trailed near the back of the herd. Aiming down the sights, I contemplated the possible points of attack: the head seemed strong with thick bone and any shot at the body seemed that it would inflict little damage. Then, I noticed the legs it walked on. With the weight they carried, crippling but _one _of the legs could render it helpless.

I crept in closer, into within about thirty five feet of the beast. Taking a kneel, I brought the butt of the gun to my shoulder. Everything was perfect: the sights were spot on, I was within range, and so far, I was unnoticed.

Then, _they _came.

A split moment before I squeezed the trigger, a group of warriors ambushed me from behind. These warriors were clad in the furs of gray wolves and each brandished either a iron pointed spear or a rusted steel sword. A select few rode upon the backs of frost bears (easily recognized from their snow white fur.) Before I could yell for assistance from Varon, Hui, and Zela, they appeared to my right, escorted by the spear points of three more mounted warriors.

"What brings you to our most sacred of grounds, stranger?" asked one of the mounted warriors. "And, more importantly, why do you intend to bring harm upon our sacred creatures?"

"Sacred?" I asked.

"The Woolies are an ancient breed and have lived in The Jerall Mountain range since long before the founding of our village. They have protected us from the vicious predators and, in doing so, we have given them _our _protection.

If you wish to bring harm upon the Woolies, you are _enemies_ to the village of Draconia."

What coincidence.

"Draconia?" I said aloud. "That was my place of birth."

"Impossible!" retorted the mounted warrior. "One who shows such ignorance toward our culture is obviously not of Draconia. Have you any evidence to bolster your claim?"

"… Alas, I do not," I replied. "Nearly all memories of Draconia have been erased from my memory, ever since I was taken from it about three years ago."

"… Hold a moment," said the warrior to the first's left. "Was the son of the town elder not taken by soldiers from our village three years ago?"

"… That is true," he replied. "However, what are the odds that _he _could be said person?"

"He _did _say that his memories were gone. Perhaps the reason for his lack of respect for the Woolies is due in part to such memory loss."

The first warrior gave a heavy sigh. "Well, the resemblance to our people _is_ noticeable. Perhaps we should bring him before the Elder. It will be known to us then.

Follow, stranger and friends."

o0o

With their spear heads hovering at our eye level, we followed the mounted warriors North, out of the grove of evergreens. As we ventured northward, the sounds of voices came cascading over the snow blanketed landscape, the sounds of a village. Coming over a small hill, we could look down to a valley below and, before us, was the village of Draconia.

…

To describe this "village," "underwhelming" would be putting it lightly.

The nature of this village was very much decrepit. In many ways, it was more so than the village of Seyda Neen which, until this very moment, was the most depressing sight I have ever laid eyes upon. As was the case in Seyda Neen, much of the buildings were either with boarded up windows, in various stages of decay, or poorly up kept by its current owners.

The buildings and homes were arranged in a circular formation around the very center of the village, which held host to a monolithic rock formation. It took the shape of a dragon's claw, reaching upward from beneath the soil, and clinging to it tight, as if it was hanging on for dear life.

As we entered the borders of Draconia, which were a feebly guarded wall, constructed from lumber and rope, I approached the Claw. Though it was obvious that the people of this village were not aware of it, the Claw gave off an unmistakable aura of mana. I called Hui over so that he could feel the mana as well.

"It is quite strong," comment Hui aloud. "The aura itself is a pure gray, signifying is neutrality: it is neither dark, nor light."

"There are differences in mana?" I asked Hui.

"Typically, it depends on the wielder. Those who do evil will, in time, develop dark auras, while those who do good will develop light auras. It does play a role in power or strength, but is merely a distinguisher."

I turned my eyes away from the Claw and toward the village. "For some reason, Hui, this place strikes me as odd. It is not in regards to the poverty, but rather, its people. However, I cannot pinpoint exactly what perplexes me."

"… Take a close look at their faces, Zaden," replied Hui. "Take heed of the color of their hair, their eyes, the structure of their faces. Do you notice a common trend?"

Suddenly, it hit me. Nearly each and every villager of Draconia, from the youngest to the old, looked to share physical traits, as if they were all of the same family. From what I could see, nearly all shared my black hair and brown eyes. While there were subtle physical differences, it was not a stretch to believe that the entire village was of one family.

Then, as I became lost in thought, someone on the far right of my peripheral came running toward me and tackled me with a warm hug. I quickly turned to face this stranger, only to be met with a mind bending sight. For a split moment in time, I believed what stood before me was a female version of _myself_. Though her figure was slender and feminine, and her face was unflawed and beautiful, she shared with me nearly all other physical properties: skin tone and color, eye color, hair color, and a number of other traits were shared between this woman and eye. She wore a heavy coat and leggings, made from the fur of a black bear.

"Tovas!" the woman exclaimed to me. "You have finally returned, Tovas! After years, you have returned!"

"… I am sorry," I replied, "but I believe you are mistaken. My name is not 'Tovas.'"

Releasing her hug from me, the woman stepped backwards. She was visibly taken back from my comment. "What are you talking about, Tovas?" she asked.

"I told you, my name is not Tovas. My name is _Zaden_." The look on the woman's face turned from confused to worried.

Just then, Zela and Varon approached Hui and I. Zela's eyes were fixed upon the Imperial woman. "Do you know this woman, Zaden?" asked Zela.

I shook my head. "I have never met her before. For some reason, she keeps referring to me as 'Tovas.'"

"What is wrong with you?" the woman asked me. "It is me, Lucina. Have you forgotten your own sister?"

"_Sister_?!" I exclaimed. "I have a sister?!"

Although I had absolutely no memories of this woman, she was absolutely sure that I was her brother. Perhaps she was correct. In any case, my total and complete lack of memory of her did not ease the heartbreak I had caused her. Tears began to pour from her eyes and her voice began to stutter from weeping. "I- I do not understand what is going on!" Lucina wept. "You are taken from us without warning and now that you have finally returned, you claim not to remember us? Are you embarrassed to come from such an impoverished upbringing? I do not understand why you would-"

Just then, Zela approached Lucina and placed a loving hand upon her shoulder. The tears halted for a moment. "Please, do not cry, sister of Zaden," said Zela. "I am your brother's wife."

"W- Wife?" asked Lucina.

"I believe _I _can explain to you what is going on."

o0o

Lucina lead the four of us to her home, a small, two room stone bothy that, along with her, was shared between nine others. One room was used for sleeping, the floor carpeted with numerous sleeping rolls, and the other room was the kitchen. The stone fireplace roared and kept both rooms surprisingly warm. A kettle placed over the flames emanated steam from its spout.

Lucina brought the steaming kettle and five clay cups into the sleeping area, where she told us to take a seat anywhere. Taking a seat in one of the rooms corners, Lucina served each of us, herself included, a cup of hot water. Then, reaching into one the pockets of her coat, she retrieved a small bag of herbs, red and green leaves that had been grown into a fine powder. She dropped a pinch of the herb mixture into each of our cups.

"Allow the herbs to dissolve into the water," Lucina said. "It will flavor it. I apologize, but this is really all that I can offer you."

With the clearing of her throat, Zela began her story. She, along with the help of Hui, Varon, and I, told Lucina of _everything_ that had happened over the past few years. We told her of my memory loss, how each of us met each other, how I learned of my destiny, the journey of the Pilgrimage, the journey within the Ghostfence, the slaying of Dagoth Ur, the day of Zela and I's marriage, and finally, all our experiences upon returning to Cyrodiil. Throughout the entire retelling, Lucina sat silently and listened intently, taking the occasional sip of her drink and asking only a handful of questions.

When all that was said was done, Lucina seemed very accepting of what was told to her. She seemed no longer upset. In fact, she seemed rather intrigued by the story. However, after all that was said, her first question to me was, "So… when are you two (Zela and I) to have children?"

"… Of all the questions to ask," I said with a laugh, "you ask that?!" I suppose it would come up eventually. "Well, we are not sure. There is so much travel and danger in our lives, it seems unwise to bring children into it… but someday soon, perhaps.

Lucina, I have come so far, back to my place of birth, I must ask you something: Where is mother and father? Can you please tell me of them?"

"Certainly," replied Lucina. "Though you do not remember him, father was a career soldier. Often times, soldiers would come to Draconia and seek father out, asking him to join them in their current battles. He would accept without a moment's thought. He would leave us for months at a time, and when he returned, he would come baring with him stories of his travels and wealth he had collect along the way. After a while, the village became dependent on said wealth.

Then, shortly after your departure Tov- I mean, Zaden, father announced to the village that he was retiring from his warrior lifestyle. Draconia went into deeper poverty in the years after. We are barely scraping out a living today."

"Why do you not send villagers to the other townships of Cyrodiil to retrieve supplies and food?" I asked.

"No one dares leave the boarders of the village," she replied. "For whatever reason, we are afraid to do so. Apart from you and father, no one has left the boarders for many years, farther that we can remember. Even I admit to such fears…"

"Where is father and mother now? I wish to see them."

"Father, since your departure, has become the village Elder. He and mother live in the large bothy on the side of Draconia opposite to my home. I can take you there, if you wish."

"Please, if you would."

With that, Lucina led Hui, Varon, Zela, and I outside and across the middleground of Draconia. Apart from us five, not another soul was seen walking about. All had retreated into their homes for whatever reasons. The bothy of the Elder was was, apart from all the others, two floors in height, and seemed much more kept than the others. We approached the front enterance and I knocked on the wooden door three times. No reply from within was given. I knocked thrice more. Still, nothing. Finally, I entered on my own accord.

The interior was, in comparison to the rest of Draconia, luxury. The floor was carpeted in a thick red and the walls were adorned with blue banners that displayed the white insignia of a dragon's claw. Against the wall opposite the door sat two lavish thrones, the cushions made from velvet and goose down and the frame decorated in gold. In one of the thrones sat an eldery woman, the damages of time reducing her face to wrinkles and her posture to that of a shrimp. To the throne to her left sat a similar sight, but this man was clad in the armor of a battle hardened warrior, the exterior riddled with scrapes and lacerations.

With great trepidation, I approached the two thrones, the others closely following. As I got within ten feat of the thrones, the old man, my father, spoke. His voice was clearly old. "Who be this that approaches?" he asked with great authority.

Kneeling onto one knee, I replied. "It is _I_, father," I replied. "I was taken from Draconia years ago under the sword of the Blades, taken to the island of Vvardenfell to fulfill an ancient prophecy. Said prophecy has been completed, and now, I have returned, father. I, your son Tovas, has returned."

The Elder sat silently for what seemed an eternity. "I remember you," he finally said at length. "I remember your departure from us."

"Yes, father!" I exclaimed as I returned to my feet. "You do remember me! I am so glad that you-"

"But what be this 'father' business," he continued. "Why do you refer to me as such?"

Perhaps he did _not _remember after all these years, the shackles of old age tampering with his mind. "Is this a test?" I asked him. "Are you not my father?"

"Has your memory been altered as of late, Tovas? Have you truly forgotten your place in the village?"

"I admit, since my departures from Draconia, all memories of my upbringing have been whipped clean. I remember not a thing of this place."

"My boy," said the Elder, "you are no son of _mine_."

… What in Oblivion was going on?! Had the mares of age completely warped his mind? Before I could question him further, Lucina approached the thrones to my right and began her defense of me. "Father," said Lucina, "why do you deny your son's exictence? He is as much your son and I am your daughter!"

"_That_," said the Elder, "is where you are wrong! You, Lucina, were born of my wife and myself. You, Tovas… were _not _born of such conditions. Your birth was that out of wedlock."

Oh Azura, merciful goddess of Moonshadow, spare me from this torment and kill me now!

The indescribable pain of a broken heart came surging all over my body. I began to produce cold sweat, my body began to shake from the shock, and I nearly fell to my knees and wept. I looked toward Hui, Varon, and Zela. The looks upon their faces were of equal shock. Turning to Lucina, I asked her, "Did you know of this?"

"N- No," replied Lucina with a shocked stutter. "This is coming as a shock to me as well."

The glare of my eyes turned back to the Elder. "Explain yourself, father!" I commanded him.

"Tovas, your birth was one that was never to come to fruition," he said. "Though you were born of my seed, and it pains me ever so much to admit this, but you were not born of the woman that sits before you today. Your true mother… was a witch, a sorceress.

Through one of my travels through the providence of Cyrodill, I came across her while venturing into the northern region of the Great Forest alone. She was beautiful, your mother. In secret, away from the eyes of the soldiers I traveled with, she and I would meet in the depths of the forest. We fell very much in love. Then, one day, we consummated that love. Then, the soldiers had to move out, and I was forced to leave her alone.

Then, about a year after the consummation, the group of soldiers returned to that region of the Great Forest. It was there that your mother sought me out. You were already three months old, and she presented our child to me, wrapped in a warm, black cloth. She told me that _I _was the one to raise you, for it was against her code to bare children. With no room for negotiation, I brought you to the village of Draconia, and have raised you ever since.

… I understand if you still harbor feelings of anger toward me, Tovas, but believe me when I say to you that I have told you the absolute truth. Lucina, my daughter, I am sorry that you had to learn of your half- brother in such a way." Lucina fell to her knees and began to weep uncontrollably. Varon crouched beside her and attempted to comfort her, but to no avail.

"So," I said to my father, "you will refer to Lucina as 'daughter' but not to me as 'son?' Are you ashamed of me? Am I nothing more to you that a walking reminder of your unfaithfulness?!"

"As I said, your birth was never intended. However, when the Blades contacted me and told me of your supposed destiny, I knew then that your birth was not a mistake-"

WHACK!!!

As the Elder spoke, his blurred vision prevented him from noticing me approaching his throne, retrieving Blunderbuss from its scabbard, and whacking him across the side of his head with all the force in my arms. The force was of such strength that it lifted him from his chair and onto the ground. Blood began to pour from his old veins and onto the ground.

"DO NOT BEGIN TO JUSTIFY YOUR ADULTERIOUS ACTS!" I exclaimed to the now withering Elder. "You have not only betrayed yourself, but your _wife _as well! In _no _way were your actions justifiable!" I turned to my half mother, who sat silently, observing this entire ordeal from start to finish, not speaking a whisper. "Mother," I said to her, "how can you sit idly by and let this transgression toward you continue? Defend yourself! Speak!"

She spoke not a word, but instead, continued to stare at the ground beneath her feet. It was as if she were an observer, merely watching this production that was her life, taking no part in it whatsoever.

"Please, Tovas," said the Elder, who clutched his head in pain, "can you find it in your heart to forgive me?"

I look down upon my father as if he were nothing more than a worn. "My name is _Zaden_," I said to him, "and your soul shall never be redeemed. When you die, old man, I wish upon you the deepest, darkest pits of your Hell. _You _are no _father _of _mine_."

With my former father left rolling on the floor inpain, I turned by to my half sister, my friends, and the love of my life. "Let us leave this place," I declared. They all replied with a solemn nod.

o0o

"The journey has been for not," I said to Lucina, Hui, Varon, and Zela outside the borders of Draconia. "I have come so far, only to find that the glorious upbringing I have imagined has been nothing more than that: an imagining… What point is there in being in this providence? Perhaps we should return to Vvardenfell, pick up our lives where we left them."

Suddenly, Zela approached me from my right, raised he hand above her head, and in one solid strike, smacked all the melancholy thoughts from my head. "Do not be so foolish!" said Zela. "I sympathize with you, my love, but there were _other _reasons to our arrival to Cyrodiil. Have you forgotten our plans for a family of our own?"

"… You are right, Zela. I apologize. It is just… This comes as such a shock to me."

"Do not feel along, Zaden," said Hui. "I know not who _my _parents are. I was taken from them at a very early age so that I may become a wielder of mana in the Mages Guild. Since my family was very impoverished, the pleaded with the Mages Guild to take me under their wing. My parents could simply not afford to raise me as a normal child, so they saw this as a better life for me."

"Hui… I had never known," I said.

"It would appear we _all _have our life secrets," said Hui, "whether they are known to us or not."

Lucina approached me with dried tears upon her face. She stood silently before me for a brief moment before throwing herself against me in a loving embrace. "I do not care what father thinks of you, Zaden," she said. "You will always be a brother to me."

"… Lucina," I said, "if you have a mount of your own, you could join our group. We can show you the world beyond Draconia, the splendors you have missed out on for all these years."

"Oh Zaden, your offer is well appreciated, but I must refuse. The village needs all its members, myself included. Draconia is weak, Zaden, and I cannot leave it in such a state.

I wish you good luck in your future journeys, brother. Please, do not forget us here in Draconia. If you happen to come upon riches or wealth, much like father did, we would be most appreciative if you send some to us."

"I will, Lucina," I said. "I promise."

With that, Lucina gave me a farewell kiss on my right cheek and she returned to within the fortified borders of Draconia. As the gates creaked to a close, I turned my gaze to the south. It was now about two hours past midday and the sun was beginning its slow descent toward the far horizon.

"Where are we to go now, Zaden?" asked Varon abruptly. "I feel as if we are far from any other village or town. Besides, I do not think we will be allowed back into Draconia for a long while, seeing as you bludgeoned the village Elder to near death!"

"Varon is correct in saying that we are far," said Hui, who had retrieved the map from his bag. "The nearest village is Bruma, and even that is at the least four day's South. We do not have the supplies to make such a-"

Hui stopped mid word. His far seeing, reptilian eyes were torn from the map and were now peering toward the South.

"What is it, Hui?" I asked.

"I spy something," he replied. "I see… a convoy of horses and carriages. They bare a single banner. It is… red, with… a coat of arms! They are the Blades, Zaden!"

I looked toward Hui's gaze. There, at the very edge of my sight, in a forest below, rode a many number of horses and carriages, all sharing a common flag. It would appear that we would make it out of this frozen place after all. "how long would it take to reach them, Hui?" I asked.

"With swift travel, perhaps an hour or so."

"What in Oblivion were the Blades doing out here?" I wondered to myself.


	6. Perennia

Chapter 5: Perennia

Mounting our steeds once more, we set off Southward, toward the last known location of the convoy. Since the mountains were to the North, our ride was mostly downhill, and therefore, less taxing on the stallions. After about an hour of ridding, just as Hui estimated, we came upon where the convoy had traveled. We found a trail where the snow and dirt was kicked up and mixed, creating a muddy path to what we sought. "If we follow this trail," I said, "it will lead us strait to them."

From there, the convoy was not far off, perhaps ten more minutes of swift riding. As we followed the trail and the tracks became fresher, the sounds of voices and the clattering of wooden wheels became ever louder. Then, as we began to make the turn around a snow embankment, the noises suddenly stopped. When we finally completed the turn, the convoy was waiting for us, brandishing expensive firearms (that were not too different from my sidearms.)

The apparent leader of the convoy, mounted atop an armored paint horses, and clad in steel armor himself, approached, wielding a firearm of his own. Through his metal helm, I could see lines of aging upon his face, and it appeared that he had little hair atop his head. "You have been following us," he said, "for the last _hour_. State your business or we will take appropriate action upon you!"

"It is ok," I replied. "I am of the Blades as well." With that, I removed the glove from my left hand, revealing the Moon and Star scar _and _ring. The look upon the leader's face (which was one of anger) quickly vanished.

"By the Gods," he exclaimed, "it is Nerevar!" An excited whisper spread quickly through the convoy. "We had heard that the Nerevar had returned to Cyrodiil, but never did I expect to actually be in his presence!" He rode over to my side and extended his hand in preparation for a handshake. "My name is Jauffre," he said, "grandmaster of the Blades in Cyrodiil."

I gladly shook his hand. "I am Zaden," I said. "The Dunmer behind me is my wife, Zela. The Argonian mage is Hui, and the Dunmer male is Varon Varvur. I must ask you, grandmaster, what _are _you doing out here in these frozen lands?"

"We are making out way to Cloud Ruler Temple, the headquarters for the Blades. If you wish, you may join us in going there. Along the way, I will inform you of the providence's happenings."

Taking point to the convoy, Jauffre led them and us further northwest. As we began to ride, I inquired Jauffre as to what he meant by the "happenings." His face turned solemn, along with his voice.

"Nerevar," he said, "what do you know of the Septim lineage?"

"I know only what I have learned in my studies during my service in the Fighters Guild," I replied. "As far as I know, the Septims have been the rulers of Tamriel for many generations. The current ruler is Uriel Septim VII. Why do you ask, grandmaster?"

His face turned even graver. "Well, in regards to that… the emperor has been assassinated."

"_Assassinated_?!" I exclaimed. "By who?"

"A strange cult by the name of the Mythic Dawn Cult. Very little is known about them or what their intentions were in killing the Emperor. What we _do _know is that they are a group of daedra worshipers who worship the daedric lord Mehrunes Dagon.

Shortly after the emperor's death, a strange occurrence happened in the city of Kvatch. A great portal appeared before the city's gates, a portal that connected to the realm of Mehrunes Dagon himself: the Deadlands. His devilish daedric creatures began to pour from it and quickly overtook the city. Were it not for _her_, the gate would have never been shut."

"Who is _she_?" I asked.

"You see, as members of the Mythic Dawn Cult began their attack on the Emperor, he attempted to make his escape in the lower workings of the Imperial City prision. There, he met one of the prisoners, a young girl by the name of Perennia. Instantly, he recognized her from a prophetic dream he had had the previous night. She followed the emperor through the lower waste works of the prison as assassins swarmed in from all directions.

Before the emperor's death, he gave the girl an artifact from his own person: The Amulet of Kings. This amulet can only be worn by those of the Septim lineage, much like Moon and Star can only be worn by the spirit of Indoril Nerevar. Upon receiving the amulet, he told Perennia to seek out his heir, a man by the name of Martin. Thankfully, she was able to do so, and he rides with us to Cloud Ruler Temple as we speak."

"Where is this Martin?" I asked Jauffre.

"Look behind you, Nerevar," he replied. "He rides atop a black horse and wears an olive green robe." Looking behind me, he rode no more than a few horse lengths away. He was, in many ways, an average looking man. His hair was somewhat long and brown, his eyes black, and a look of subtle fear was upon his face.

"What of the girl?" I asked.

"She rides near the center of the convoy. I doubt you will see her from here. Besides, we have reached our destination. Behold, Nerevar, and look upon Cloud Ruler Temple!"

I whipped my head around to look upon this temple. It was magnificent. Built upon a steep mesa of land, the temple was well positioned for defending. The temple was finely crafted from stone and mortar, two tall guard towers with tiled, swooping roofs stood watch over the main gate. Beyond the gate, a magnificent temple sat in the center, sharing the same swooping roofs and remarkable architecture.

Being at the head of the group, we were the first to approach the gate. A guard from the high towers called down to us. "Who approaches the gate?" he asked.

"We who have returned from the battlefield of Kvatch," replied Jauffre. "We come with the Savior of Kavatch, the heir to Uriel Septim, and _Nerevar_ as well."

A few moments later, the gates began their slow swing open, revealing a stairwell of many steps. Atop our horses, we traversed the steps to their peak, which lead us to a stone courtyard that lay before the front entrance of the temple itself. Blades soldiers took Jauffre's horse, along with mine and Hui's, and brought them to the stables to our left. Jaufree brought us up a stone walkway that lead to the temple's entrance. Jaufree told us to stand respectably as the rest of the honored guests entered.

An announcer to the left of Jaufree (who stood to the left of me) announced the arrival of the next guest. "It is with great honor that I present to you, the Savior of Kvatch, Perennia!"

A few seconds later, the savior in question appeared from the stairwell with a number of Blade soldiers to her left and right. I was shock to find that… she looked nothing more than a little girl. She looked to be no more than eighteen years of age, had fiery red hair that hung down to her shoulders, a pretty face (for someone of her age), and wore a bland, gray robe that covered a figure that reminded me of a broom (which is, to say, not much of a figure at all.) She had a set of dual broadswords on her back. However, she did not look like a fighter, but rather, more like an _average girl_.

How could _she_ be the savior of _anything_?

With her head held toward the ground, she walked the stone pathway toward the entrance of Cloud Ruler temple. All the guards of the temple, at around this moment, left their posts and began to gather in the courtyard so that they could catch a glimpse of her. She approached Jauffre, who placed a hand upon her right shoulder. "Your actions in Kvatch," said Jauffre to her, "were not only brave and unselfish, but were keeping in the values of the Blades. When you were called upon to drive the daedra from Kvatch, you answered that call, and you were able to do what all others could not: close the Oblivion gate." Jauffre's gaze turned to the others. "All hail the Savior of Kvatch!"

The guards gave a unifying "Hail!"

As the girl took a spot to Jauffre's left, the next of the honored guests arrived: Martin Septim. He appeared from the stairwell with a stern but proud look upon his face. He did as Perennia did, and approached Jauffre, then turned to the ever growing crowd.

"Today," Jauffre announced, "our hearts are still stricken by the loss of our fallen emperor, Uriel Septim. His death shall not soon be forgotten. But today, we have another hope. Through the chaos of the siege of Kvatch, we have found the _heir _to the Septim bloodline! All hail Martin Septim!"

A trio of "Hail!" erupted from the Blade guards as they unsheathed their swords and held them high above their heads.

Martin stood silently before all. Then, at great length, he spoke. "… Thank you," he said. "I… am not use to giving speeches, but I assure you when I say that I will do my best as emperor. I shall not fail you, or Tamriel."

A final "Hail!' was said before the guards began to disperse and return to their posts. When all that was left in the courtyard was myself, Zela, Hui, Varon, Jauffre, Perennia, and Martin, Martin approached Perennia and gave her a pleased look. As they spoke to each other, Jauffre questioned me as to "Why is the Nerevar in this remote of places?"

"I came here in search of my parents," I replied.

"That so?" he asked. "Were you able to do so?"

"… Unfortunately, yes."

"Unfortunately-? Never mind, I suppose it is none of my business."

"We are in need of shelter for the night," I said, "and supplies for our journey south, to the Imperial City."

"Then let Cloud Ruler Temple be your shelter," replied Jauffre. "As a Blade, any home of _ours_ is a home of _yours_."

"Well, this _is_ a truly magnificent home. The architecture is unlike anything I have ever seen."

"Well, believe it or not, this temple was built in the Second Era by a race of people called the Akaviri which, as you can probably guess, came from the eastern continent of Akavir. A great number of their ruins can be spotted all across Cyrodiil, but this temple is the most well preserved of the ruins."

At about that moment, Martin and Perennia finished their conversation, and Jauffre beckoned the two over. When they did so, Jauffre introduced them to me. "Emperor, Perennia, this lad in white is Zaden, Nerevar Incarnate." Martin presented an open hand, so I reached out and shook it.

"It is truly an honor to meet you Emperor Martin. In truth, this is the first time I have ever met someone of the Septim bloodline, let along the Emperor _himself_."

"Please," he replied, "I am nothing more than a simple man. I have yet to do anything worthy of such a title, though I thank you for your kindness."

Perennia then cautiously approached with her eyes aimed toward my feet. "Pleasure to meet you," she said in a whisper.

"To close an Oblivion gate is something not many can claim to do," I said to her. "You must be a skilled fighter indeed."

Instead of a reply, Perennia turned her head from me and… began to blush ever so slightly. "I feel weak," she said to Jauffre. "I would like to go inside, out from the cold."

It seemed as if she was avoiding me. For what reason, I know not.

"If that is what you wish, Perennia." Jauffre's gaze turned back to me. "If you will excuse us, Nerevar." The two then headed inside the temple, leaving Hui, Varon, Zela, Martin, and I to ponder Perennia's strange behavior.

"Strange," said Martin. "She is not usually that timid. What would bring about such a sudden change in emotion?"

"When she spoke to you, Nerevar," said Varon, "I noticed that her heartbeat quickened. Perhaps she-"

"Do _not _finish that sentence, Varon," I interrupted. "Let us not assume _anything_ at the moment." I feared what Varon was about to say.

"In _any _case," said Martin at length, "please, Nerevar and friends, do come inside the temple. I hear there will be a feast to celebrate our accomplishments. You are all more than welcome to join us."

And that night, a grand feast was held in the dining hall of Cloud Ruler Temple. After traveling in the frozen north for so long and then after seeing the glorious selection of food that was laid across the long dining table, my eating manners (much to the embarrassment of Zela) could be describes as "ravenous." Also, as I feasted, I could not help but notice that, from across the table and five seats over, Perennia would look at me from the corner of her eye. However, whenever I would attempt to meet her gaze, her eyes would instantly shift back toward her plate.

O0o

Considering how much I ate that night, I was prepared for a full night's sleep. Unfortunately, that was not the case, and I found myself awakening well before the others, about an hour before the sun was even over the horizon. I attempted to fall back asleep, but it was to no avail. So, feeling no need to remain in bed, I quietly slipped out from beneath the covers, (taking extra care not to wake Zela), got dressed, and headed to the main hall.

Cloud Ruler Temple seemed like a completely different place at this hour. During the time of the feast, all the rooms were brightly lit with torches and the halls rang with the sounds of cheerful conversation. However, at this early hour, the halls were blanketed in darkness, and only the sentries were about. They made little noise as it is.

As I turned a corner that lead toward the main hall, I came literally face to face with one of the Cloud Ruler sentries. Startled from bumping into me, he, driven purely by reaction, unsheathed his sword and prepared to deliver an overhead chop. Thankfully, a split moment before he did so, he recognized my face, and quickly sheathed his sword in embarrassment.

Nerevar!" he exclaimed. "I- did not expect you to awaken so early."

"Yes, you and I both," I replied. "This place is so… different, once all the festivities were done and over with."

"Not to mention that night patrol is most likely the most _boring_ assignment one can be given as a Cloud Ruler sentry! Normally, not a single soul awakens in the night, but today, there have been two, yourself included."

"Two?" I asked. "Who is the other?"

"Perennia, Master Nerevar. She awoke about half an hour before you, claiming that she could not sleep a wink. She is currently in the courtyard, if you wish to see her."

"Thank you… As you were," I said.

With that, I headed back outside into the near frozen cold of the Jerall Mountains. The sky was deep shades of blue and lavender and the stars shown like pin points of light across the heavens. To the East, I could barely catch the faint glow of the sun from behind the horizon. And there, facing toward the East, was Perennia. She looked to be lost in thought, staring off into the mountainous landscape.

"You know," I said as I approached her, and causing her to jump, "if you stay out here too long, you are bound to catch an ailment."

Perennia began to turn around. "You- You scared me, Sir-" It was at that moment her eyes met mine and she gave another gasp of shock. "It is you!" she said.

"It would seem that we both had trouble sleeping tonight," I said. "I heard you slept not a wink."

"I- I guess," she said. Her face began to blush again.

"Is something on your mind?" I asked.

"Oh, nothing, nothing!" she quickly replied in a panic. "I was not thinking anything! The blushing is from the cold, I swear!"

"I was referring to your lack of sleep, Perennia. Is something on your mind that prevents your slumber?"

Perennia suddenly looked even more embarrassed. "Oh, yes, _that_… Well, ever since that day in Kvatch, the memories of it have haunted my mind. The sights I witnessed, the horrors I saw… It was almost overwhelming."

"Would you mind sharing them with me?" I asked. "It might do you good to express your thoughts."

Perennia thought silently for a moment before giving a slight nod in reply. "Very well," she said, "I will tell you.

I heard from Jauffre that you already know of the Emperor's assassination, so I shall spare you that part of the story… Soldiers from all around were called upon to impede the siege of Kvatch. We were told that a dimensional gate had spawned before the city's gates and that wicked things were emerging from it. We had no idea what we were going to face, so we essentially entered the battlefield blindly.

As we approached the gate, the skies turned a blood red; they flashed of lightening and boomed of thunder. The closer we came to the city, the more we began to worry. Then, when the gate came into view, our fears were realized.

The gate was horrific. It was like a great flaming eye, turned onto its side, which blighted the landscape around it. The creatures that came from it were just as demonic in nature. One was a scamp like creature, with long pointed ears, clawed hands, and a whip like tail. The others had the bodies of men, but skin that looked like charcoal, armor that looked to be made from the blackest metals, blood red eyes, and voices that would send chills down your spine."

"Hmm," I said. "I have encountered such beings. Both of the beings you encountered were daedra. The 'scamp creature' is, in fact, called by that name, Scamp. The others were Dremora and are formidable opponents indeed. Am I wrong to assume you met these things in combat?"

She nodded in response. "You are not wrong to assume such," she replied.

"But daedra can only be harmed with magically imbued weapons! Are you saying that you possess such weapons?"

Instead of a reply of words, Perennia simply grasped the hilt of her swords and unsheathed them with lightening quickness. The blades were made from beautiful, green volcanic glass, which was known for maintaining a sharp blade, for its lightness, and its rarity.

"Where in Oblivion did you get those?" I asked.

"The Deadlands, to be precise," she replied. Clever. "I took them off the body of an already slain Dremora. I was surprised to find that I can wield these weapons so easily."

That sounds familiar.

"Entering the gate," Perennia continued as she sheathed her weapons, "was an even more harrowing experience. The Deadlands, the place where the gate sent me, is a hellish landscape. The seas were of molten rock and the sky was choked with blood red clouds that constantly flashed with lightening. The Deadlands were completely inhabited by the aforementioned daedra. It was difficult facing them all in combat."

I was still in disbelief that a mere girl such as her could take on daedra. "Why would you enter such a place?" I asked her.

"I learned that the gates are maintained by a powerful device called a sigil stone. In order to close the gate, one must remove the stone from its resting place, the Sigillum Sanguis, where its power is harnessed.

I fought through many daedra, spilled much daedric blood in order to reach the Sigillum Sanguis. When I reached out and grabbed the stone, an overwhelming pain surged across my body. It was almost too much and I came near from letting it go. However, through it all, I released the stone and, in an instant, I found myself back in front of Kvatch. The gate had vanished, leaving a charred and blackened patch on the ground it once stood on.

Shortly after, the sentries of Kvatch called upon me to drive what daedra remained within the city's walls. While I would have liked to cut more daedric throats, my priorities were else ware: namely, finding Martin and bringing him to Cloud Ruler Temple."

"That was very mature of you," I said, "to resist your urges and do what you were called upon to do."

Her face blushed ever so slightly. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Where is the sigil stone now?" I asked.

"Oh, I have kept it in my pocket ever since that day," she replied. Then, reaching into an inside pocket of her robe, she retrieved a perfectly round orb that had glassy surface texture, a black inner core, and what appeared to be flames leaping from deep within it, lapping against the walls. "Incredible," I commented.

"I spoke with a mage," Perennia said, "and he informed me that these can be used to enchant weapons. When I first get a chance to do so, I will enchant my dual broadswords." She then slipped the stone back into her pocket.

"I have heard tales of you, Nerevar," she continued. "I heard that you killed a God by the name of…"

"Dagoth Ur?" I finished.

"Yes, that was it… Is it true? Did you truly slay a God? I thought Gods were immortal."

"Thought he thought himself as such," I replied, "Dagoth Ur was no _true _God. He merely channeled to himself the power of _another_. Under all his illusions, he was nothing more than a mere Dunmer."

"… I see… Nerevar… The Dunmer female you travel with… Is she your wife?"

I nodded. "For nearly a year now, yes," I replied.

"Oh," she said defeated, "well… she _is_ very beautiful. You two must love each other very much."

"That we do," I said. I just then noticed the slight saddened look upon Perennia's face. Had my admission to being married saddened her? "Well, fear not," I said. "Someday, _you _will find someone that will truly love you."

Apparently, my comforting remark worked, because her blue eyes instantly lit up. "Do you think so?" she asked gleefully.

Though she acted mature, she was _still _a kid.

"I am _sure _of it," I replied.

Then, as if the word "it" was a cue for the sun, golden orange rays of light came shooting over the eastern horizon, splashing the both of us in the face with warming light. I looked to Perennia and saw that the light cast a sort of "aura" about her, making her appear almost godlike.

Perhaps it was my mind playing tricks on me, or perhaps…


	7. The Imperial City

Chapter 6: The Imperial City

It would be another hour after sunrise until Zela, Hui, and Varon awoke from their sleep. After breakfast, we quickly began to pack up our supplies for the rest of our trip. It was around ten in the afternoon until we were finally ready to depart. Jauffre, Martin, and Perennia met us four at the temple gates.

"Are you to leave us so soon?" asked Jauffre.

"Unfortunately, yes," I replied. "While your hospitality was most appreciated, we must continue onward to our true destination: The Imperial City."

"Why do you travel there?"

"With any luck, it will be so that we can all live _normal _lives for a good, long while. I figure the Imperial City is good a place as any to start anew."

"Ah, has life as 'Nerevar' become that taxing?"

"More than you know, Jauffre."

"But you are a Hero, Nerevar. Are not the lives of Heroes always spent on quest, slaying evil, and whatnot?"

"My destiny ended with the slaying of Dagoth Ur. I am now nothing more than an average man… and it is time I began to _live _as such. I will purchase a home there and live out the rest of my days in peace."

"I see… Well, have you given thought as to which district you will settle down in?"

"District? Does it matter?"

"Of course it does!" he exclaimed. "You do not want to live in the slums, do you?!"

"Well, no, but I-"

"Then I suggest that you purchase your homestead in the Talos Plaza District. It is known as the Imperial City's most wealthy district-"

"Excuse me," I said, "but I am not _made _of money. I only own the money I have on my person, and even _that _is not enough to purchase a home."

Before I could continue any further, Jauffre raised his hand at me. "I have that already figured out," he said. He then looked over his right shoulder and made a motion of his hand. A few seconds later, an errand boy came running from inside the temple with a large piece of paper in hand, which he immediately passed off to me. As it were, the piece of paper was a bank note worth… three hundred thousand Septums!

"_That_," said Jauffre, "should be well enough to purchase any house in the Talos Plaza District upfront. Think of this as a show of thanks from the Blades for your legendary accomplishments and for ridding the dark hand of Dagoth Ur from Tamriel."

"Very well," I said with a laugh, "and thank you. Well, it is time we headed off. Jauffre, I wish you much prosperity as head of the Blades. Martin, I wish you success as Emperor… And Perennia?"

"Y- Yes?" she whispered.

"Do get some sleep, will you?"

Her face blushed.

With that, the front gates opened and we rode out of Cloud Ruler Temple and followed the trail south. While our time spent with the Blades was most enjoyable, it felt nice to be back on the trail again. As we rode south and the temple seemed to shrink behind us, Zela poked me on my right shoulder.

"Was it me," said Zela, "or did Perennia _blush _when you spoke to her?"

"Truly? I did not notice," I lied. Unfortunately, she saw strait through it.

"Try to fool me, will you?" she said. "You _did _notice. The question is, though, _why _was she blushing?"

"I suppose she took a liking to me, nothing more."

"Is that so? What did you say to her that would make her-?"

"Oh please, Zela," I said. "It is nothing more than a simple crush. Besides, she is half my age! To even _suggest _something like that causes me to cringe."

"If you say so, husband, but as your wife, let me give you fair warning: If you ever betray me or our marriage, the punishment I will exact upon you will be swift and, if need be, _deadly_. Am I understood?"

That last remark sent an indescribable chill of fear surging up my spine. "Yes, understood," I replied shakily.

That was the unique thing about Zela: her ability to switch personalities. One moment, she could be a loving, caring person who would want nothing more than to cling to your arm and rest her head upon your shoulder. Then, the very next moment (for example, if in combat), she can turn unrelenting, seemingly devoid of compassion and any notion of honor.

I wondered to myself if, for that reason, I loved her… or feared her…

o0o

After about a day and a half of travel, we reached the city of Bruma, a city populated mostly by Nords. Since it lay near the Cyrodiil/Skyrim border, it was a simple matter of the Nords traveling south. The providence of Skyrim had no quarrel with Cyrodiil, so immigration from the former to the latter was a much more simpler process (as opposed to those who came from Morrowind.)

Our stay in Bruma was brief. After stocking up on supplies, we rented a room at a local inn and spent the night there.

o0o

The skies were clear on said night. I sat on the steps of one of the many stone stairwells in Bruma and admired the sight. You could look up and see every star there was to see. It was as if the entire sky had been laid out especially before me for my singular viewing pleasure. I blew smoke rings toward the stars and watched as the white and blue smoke faded away.

I sat alone for what seemed a peaceful eternity until I was graced by the company of another: Hui. Seemingly bundled from head to toe, Hui sat down to my right, grasping in his hand a pipe of his own.

"Overdressed, are we?" I joked.

"We Argonians are not accustomed to the cold," replied Hui. "We come from the Black Marsh, a hot and humid place. I cannot wait until we reached a less _frozen _landscape."

"Such a place is not that far off, my friend. Perhaps only a day's ride more."

"Well _that _is welcome change." Hui inhaled smoke from his pipe and blew it into the still night air. "I can sense that there is much on your mind, Zaden. Tell me to what it pertains."

"… It is strange, Hui," I replied. "For as far as I can remember, my life has had purpose. When I arrived in Vvardenfell, it was to fulfill my destiny and slay Dagoth Ur. Returning to Cyrodiil, it was to seek out my parents. Now… I have not a clear goal, not a direct path to take. I feel almost… out of place in this world."

"Hmm… Such strange thoughts you have, Zaden. Whoever said that everyone is to have purpose? Most people live out their lives not knowing of _any_ destiny they might have, you know. They merely live day to day, most living normal, uneventful existences."

"But that is just it, Hui. I do not want to live out the rest of my days in mediocrity. I feel that I must be doing _something_, even when there is nothing to do!"

"… I think I am beginning to understand your situation, Zaden," said Hui. "You have simply become _addicted _to your previous lifestyle. Before, your life was one of purpose, always striving toward a singular goal. But now that all goals have been met, you still feel that strive to accomplish."

"What do you think I should do, Hui?"

Hui took another puff from his pipe. "Get over it!" he replied bluntly.

"Hui?"

Hui pivoted himself to face me. "Zaden, you now live the life of a commoner. Your destiny as Nerevar has been completed… Now begins your life as _Zaden_. You and Zela, on many occasions, have discussed your plans of settling down and raising a family. Before, your excuse for not doing so was due to your destiny as Nerevar Incarnate. Now that that chapter is complete… I believe it is time to finally make do on those plans, Zaden."

"Do you believe that is the right thing to do?" I asked Hui.

"I believe it would be what _Zela _wants more than anything else," replied Hui.

In the course of a simple conversation, my outlook on my life made a complete turnaround. "Very well then," I declared as I stood up from the stone step. "Form this day forward, I resign the title of 'Nerevar Incarnate.' From this day forward, I am _Zaden_, born on the fifth day of summer, bastard son of the Elder of Draconia and a witch, and… soon to be _father_ of two."

"Two?" asked Hui. "Counting your Kwama before they hatch, are we?"

"Well, it does not hurt to have expectations, Hui."

"At any rate, Zaden, I am proud to see that you have taken to this new existence with great enthusiasm. Let us return to the inn so that you may tell Zela in person."

With that, Hui and I made our way through the streets of Bruma toward the inn. Along the way, Hui questioned me further on a completely different topic.

"Zaden," said Hui, "I have been meaning to speak with you about the supposed 'Savior of Kvatch, Perennia. I was simply wondering-"

"Hui," I interrupted, "I will tell you the same thing I told Zela. She merely has a childish crush on me and nothing more."

"N- No, Zaden, it is not about _that_. I was going to ask you if… you felt the same presence about her that I did."

"Presence?" I asked.

"Yes… Though it is hard to explain, there seemed to be an 'aura' about her."

"It could not have been one of mana. Otherwise, I would have sensed it as well."

"No, it was not one of mana, but one of… greatness."

"Greatness?"

"These are mediocre definitions, Zaden, but... Just as we mages can sense the aura of mana about an individual, _some_ mages can sense someone's 'greatness,' or in some ways, their destinies."

"Are you saying that you could see into Perennia's future?" I asked.

"Not in the way you might be thinking of," replied Hui. "I cannot tell you specific events or anything such as that… But I _can _tell you with the upmost confidence that there is a great future in store for Perennia, whether she is aware of it or not."

o0o

It was not until the next morn that I told Zela what I had declared before Hui. I told her that I was Nerevar no longer. I told her that I was ready to live the life of a commoner, to embrace a modest lifestyle and… I expressed that I was finally ready to start a family.

Zela's tears of joy were the only answer I ever needed.

o0o

It would be two days of travel until we were rid of the cold north. It was such a blessing to finally be rid of our furs. At last, we could once again loom upon trees of green leaves, hear the songs of birds as they fluttered overhead, and not have to hear the howling of blistering winds. In place of the latter were the soothing hisses of gentle breezes slipping through the branches of trees.

The road we traveled (creatively named the 'Silver Road') took us directly south from Bruma. The road took us through the Great Forest, a wood that was flush with maples, evergreens, and pines. These woods also held personal significance to me, for this is where my mother was rumored to dwell. While we maintained our destination of the Imperial City, we kept an ever watchful eye for anyone that might fit the description of a witch.

Unfortunately, we found no witch.

It was on the seventh day of travel that we finally laid eyes upon the Imperial City itself. Coming over a steep hill, the city seemed to gleam in the distance. Most of the city was composed of a grand, circular wall. Within the wall, the city was divided into six even sections. From its very center, a tall and magnificent spire, the "White Gold Tower," seemed to stand proudly above all else. It glimmered in the sun with such brilliance; it seemed like the creation of Azura.

The city sat on a large island, the City Isle, in the center of Lake Rumare. Reaching off of the west side of the Imperial City was a long stone bridge that reached over the water and onto land. "That bridge," said Hui, "is the only means of entering the city… that is, unless you wish to swim."

With the bridge in sight, we continued to follow the roads. We traveled west around the perimeter of the lake along a road dubbed the Red Ring Road, so called as it encircled Lake Rumare. It took about a few hours time until we finally reached the bridge. There, what awaited us, was an Imperial Legion checkpoint that was more grand in scale than that of the Great Imperial Wall.

As soon as we strode near the checkpoint, an Imperial legion soldier, mounted atop an armored black horse, approached. "Halt," he commanded. "I have not seen your faces around here before. What business do you have here?"

"We have come here to purchase a home within the city," I replied.

"Is that so? If that is the case, I will need to see your identification papers to prove your citizenship."

Shit. Since we entered Cyrodiil illegally, we all were without citizenship papers. "Well, we are all citizens of Cyrodiil," I lied, "so I did not think we needed papers to move around our own land."

"Nonsense!" said the guard. "All citizens of the Empire are permitted to carry identification! Let us see yours!"

There seemed no escape from this situation. However, just when I was within an inch of confessing that I did not have the papers he requested, Hui positioned his horse between Zela and I and the guard. Then, with an impeccably persuasive voice, he spoke these words to the guard.

"We are all members of the Blades," Hui said, "and we have come to the Imperial City on business of the upmost importance. If you do not allow us entry, you will have successfully succeeded in bring about the ultimate destruction of the Empire _itself_. Now, assist my superior in any way he sees fit, or your name will be known as an enemy of the Empire!"

Hui's tone of voice was so unfaltering, so persuasive, it seemed that the guard was about to collapse from fear. His face turned livid and his arms and legs began to shake. "V- V- Very well, Sir," he stuttered to me. "W- What can I do for you?"

"First," I said, "you can allow us immediate entry into the city. Also, we four are in need of a home to purchase, some place in the Talos Plaza District."

"Very well, Sir. I will get you a Estate Agent right away. I will return with him in just a moment." The guard then sped off across the stone bridge and toward the city's main gate.

I turned to Hui with a look of disbelief on my face. "Hui," I said, "how in Oblivion did you do that?"

"Magic," he replied, "can be a most powerful ally. Not only can it obliterate your enemies, it can also convert them. A simple influence spell was all it took to make out hostile guard into a sniveling subject."

"How… evil of you, Hui," said Zela.

"Not _evil_, Zela, _cunning_."

About ten minutes of wait later, the guard returned with another in tow. A well dressed Imperial, clad in a silk teal robe, mounted atop a brown Bay horse, approached and held an outstretched arm toward me. "Jonus," he said, "at your service, Sir."

I shook his hand. "Thank you," I said. "I am looking to purchase a home in the Talos Plaza District. Could you help us search for one?"

"It would be my pleasure to assist a member of the Blades. Let me think for a moment… If I remember correctly, there is _one _home that remains vacant. With any luck, it will be unsold when we arrive. Follow me."

We followed the agent across the impressive bridge, which spanned across the picture perfect Lake Rumare. As we rode closer and closer to the city's immense walls, the grand scale of the city became more and more apparent. When we were at the foot of the wall, it seemed to tower over us like a guilty conscience. The wooden gates were grand as well, carved from whole redwoods and held together with shinning iron brackets. The Estate Agent signaled the guards that stood atop the wall and the gates swung open a moment later.

As it were, the main gates opened up into the Talos Plaza District and, immediately, we recognized its wealth. The architecture of this district was lavish, home to many decorative archways and pillars. The stone was a brilliant white shade. In the center of the district was a grand, golden statue of a dragon, a figure synonymous to the Empire. Many of the town's inhabitants were extremely well dressed and wore lavish outfits. Zela, Hui, Varon, and I got many looks as we rode through the cobblestone street.

We were strangers.

The Estate Agent brought us before a two story home, where the second story jutted out from the front of the building (a common feature in Imperial architecture.) This home, as well as the neighboring homes, featured a fine white stone glaze that seemed to illuminate them in the noon sun. "It's a fine home," commented the Estate Agent. "Follow me inside so that I may detail the home's finer points."

Stepping inside, all but Varon (who could not see) were captivated by the luxury of the inside. The main entrance lead to a sitting area. The floor was made from ash wood, stained to a golden brown color. The furniture was all made from finely hand-crafted wood and with cushions of silk and goose down. Hand painted tapestries of beautiful landscapes hung off the walls and down toward the floor. From this sitting area were two staircases: one that went up to the left and another that lead up to the right. There was also a door that stood on the opposite wall to the entrance.

"The left stairwell," said the agent, "leads to the kitchen and dining room, which you will find to be state of the art and fully furnished. The right stairwell leads to the bedrooms: there are two guest bedrooms and a master bedroom. It also leads to another stairwell that leads to a hatch, where you can get to the roof. You can put patio furniture there, if you wish."

"It will be just like our other home," said Zela.

"Behind that door in front of us," continued the agent, "is a stairwell that lead to the basement. The basement is split into three main sections: the first acts as a storage area, the second is a wine and liquor storage area, and the third is the bathroom, which connects strait to the Imperial City's extensive sewer system."

I look to Zela, whose expression was that of pure joy. "What do think, my love?" I asked her.

"I _love _it," she replied.

I turned back to the estate agent. "We will take it," I declared.

"Excelent!" said the agent. "You can expect the first billing to come on the fifteenth of this month and-"

"Actually," I interrupted, "could you skip ahead and tell me the total cost of the home?"

"… Well, if I were to guess… about two hundred fifty thousand septums. Why do you ask?"

"Because," I said, as I reached into my bag and retrieved the bank note, "I do not like monthly payments. I would rather pay up front." I placed the note in the agent's hand and he began to examine it. In an instant, he went speechless. All he could do was stare back at me with disbelieving eyes.

"I expect to receive the remainder of the money," I said.

"Y- Y- Yes," he stuttered, "but of course. We will send it to you right away. I shall take my leave now… Enjoy your new home." With that, the estate agent slowly walked out the front door.

When the agent left, there was a moment of silence shared between us four. It was not one of awkwardness, but rather, one of… finality. With the purchase of this home, our lives of travel and adventure seemed to come to an end. Now, a _normal _life was all that we looked forward to.

I looked to Zela, how looked more happy than I have ever seen before. "What do you think?" I asked her.

She smiled. "It is all that I could have asked for and _more_," she replied. "We can now finally be a family."

"I would have it no other way," I said.


	8. A Day of Mixed Greetings

Chapter 7: A Day of Mixed Greetings

It was the first day in our new home. I awoke that morn to find myself alone in my bed. From downstairs, I smelled the aroma of cooked bacon and the sounds of my Hui's voice. Once out of bed and dressed, I headed downstairs and joined them.

To celebrate our new life, Zela prepared a breakfast buffet, composed of the most delectable foods: fresh eggs, slabs of bacon, freshly squeezed orange juice, milk from an actual cow (as opposed to what you would get in Vvardenfell, where the only milk came from rats), and an assortment of pastries and baked goods.

"Zela," I said as I sat down to the table, "you have truly outdone yourself."

"Thank you," she replied. "All of this I found in the pantries. I was surprised to find that all the shelves were fully stocked. It was as if they were expecting us."

"Impossible. How would they have known that we were going to purchase this home?"

"I do not know, Zaden… but it matters not. What matters is that the house is ours."

"Yes, I suppose so, my dear," I said as I sipped my coffee. That thought lingered in my head: Why _were _all the shelves fully stocked. Could it be that we were expected?

As I thought of this, there came a knock at the door. Hui, who was standing at the time, answered. On the outside stood an Imperial couple: the man was tall, had short blonde hair, fair shin, and wore a black tunic. The female had long black hair, fair skin as well, wore a flowing, sky blue dress, and had cradled in her arms a wicker basket, covered and a red and white checkered blanket.

"Greetings," said the man. "Is you master at home?"

"_Master_?" snapped Hui with annoyance. "What is meant by that?"

I quickly intervened. I knew that Hui did not like to be assumed as a slave (as much as his kind was in Vvardenfell.) I approached the door (with Zela accompanying me) and placed my hand on Hui's shoulder. "Forgive them, Hui," I said. "They do not know." I greeted the two Imperials. "Pardon me for saying," I said to them, "but my friend Hui here is not my slave."

An embarrassed look came upon the male Imperial's face. "Oh!" he exclaimed. "I _do _apologize for my words. I just assumed-"

"Do not fret. It was an honest mistake. I suppose I am the 'master' of this home. I am Zaden, and my Argonian friend, as I have already said, is Hui." Zela stepped forward and gave a bow. "This is my wife, Zela, and the other who still sits at the table is Varon Varvur."

The male Imperial shook the hands of Hui, Zela, and I. "Good morn to you. I am Claudius Arcadia and this is my wife Rena. We are your new neighbors."

"Well come in" I beckoned them. "Please, take a seat at the dining room table. Can we offer you some tea?"

"Oh yes, please," he replied as he and his wife entered. As the man took a seat, Rena presented to me the basket and then took a seat as well. I lifted the blanket and saw that the basket had a freshly baked pie within. The strong sent of blackberries filled my nostrils. "It smells delicious," I commented.

As Zela prepared our guests their tea, Claudius began to scan the dining room with his eyes. "My my!" he said aloud. "It seems that you already went through the trouble of furbishing your home."

"Actually," I said, as I placed the pie on the counter top to cool, "I was surprised to find that this home was fully furbished when we first arrived. I assume that was not your doing?"

"Oh no, Zaden. We assumed that the house was vacant all this time. Curious…"

"I wonder who _did _do this?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, neighbor." Once Zela served them their tea, everyone took a seat at the table.

"Well," said Claudius, "I apologize if we came at an early hour, but we wanted to be the first to welcome you to the Talos Plaza District. Many of Cyrodiil's most wealthy reside here."

As you know, my experience with high society has been less than perfect, so you can understand if I felt somewhat offset by that last statement.

"_Zaden_," he continued. "I am not familiar with that name. Where do you hail from originally?"

"Cyrodiil," I replied. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, it is just that we of the upper class are a close knit group and it is uncommon to have newcomers within our ranks. Most have lineage in the upper class that go back for generations.

For instance, your friend, Varon Varvur. I recognize _that _name well. The Varvurs are a well known Dunmer family that have a fair standing in the trade of ebony in Vvardenfell. However, _your _name, Zaden, in unfamiliar to me. Tell me, what business do you dabble in?" he asked as he sipped his tea.

"Well," I replied, "I acquired most of my wealth in my travels."

"Where abouts?" he asked.

I was about to answer when Hui contacted me telepathically. "_Careful, Zaden_," he said. "_Reveal your identity as Nerevar too soon and you risk alienating us from the neighborhood._"

"_Do not worry_," I said to Hui, "_I know all too well of the effects of my actions. If I do plan on revealing that to them, I will wait until I earned my trust._"

"Zaden?" said Claudius. "What is your reply?"

"Oh, sorry," I said. "I traveled much of Vvardenvell in the past few years. There, I met many influential people and I cut deals with some wealthy organizations. I dare not say which ones, though."

"I see… Vvardenfell… Did you, by chance, ever see Nerevar in your time there?"

I nearly choked on my coffee. "Nerevar?!" I asked.

"Yes, Nerevar. I heard tales that he had returned or something. I am not sure, though. The Empire, as good protectors as they are, like to control what news comes in from the other providences… I have also heard rumors fluttering about that he as actually came to Cyrodiil."

"Really?" I said, trying to sound surprised.

"Yes, but I doubt he was allowed beyond the Great Imperial Wall. No way in Oblivion they would allow _that_." Claudius turned to Zela. "What do _you _think of this?" he asked her. "After all, Nerevar is somewhat of a prophet to your people."

I wondered as to how Zela would respond to the Imperial's question.

Zela smiled and nodded slightly. "While it would be wonderful to meet him," she replied, "I would have to agree with you. The Imperial Empire tends to keep their influence clean from those of other religions and peoples. Though it saddens me to say so, Nerevar would probably _not _be allowed within Cyrodiil."

Well played, my love.

Claudius nodded. "Yes," said Claudius as he sipped his tea once more. "Well, if I way be so bold, might we change topics. After all I did not come here to merely speak of politics. Zaden, I have an invitation for you and your friends."

"An invitation?" I asked. "For what?"

Claudius stood up from the table and folded his hands behind his back. "Tomorrow night," he said, "there will be a little get together for those of the upper class. Many of the Talos Plaza District, ourselves included, will be there. It will be held in the Arboretum, which is about two districts to the South. If you wish to go, you can meet with us at the statue in the Talos Plaza at the six strokes of the evening."

I looked to Hui, Zela, and Varon for their approval. They all gave nods. "Very well then," I said. "We shall meet you there."

O0o

Later the next day, I found myself, much like I was before the gathering in Ebonheart Castle, waiting for the others to finish getting prepared. I still had no idea why it took them this long to do so. It seemed as if I waited for an hour. Was it I who was simply too fast, or they who were too slow?

Finally, after the eternity of waiting, it was Zela who first emerged from our room. Her attire for the evening was very Imperial, consisting of a loose outer gown that reached her ankles of purple and evergreen color, an evergreen couvrechef that was draped over her head, and face powder that made her skin appear more fair.

Needless to say, she looked stunning.

"I say," Zela said to me, "you get ready far too quickly… Will you wear your regular attire tonight? As you did in Ebonheart?"

I nodded. "It has worked for me in the past," I commented. "Who is to say it will not work now?"

"Well, who is to say that it _will_?" She had me there…

Just then, Hui and Varon emerged from their own rooms. Hui wore a black gown (similar in style to a mage's robe) with long, flowing sleeves, and Varon wore a simple robe, woven from golden silk.

With everyone ready, we headed outside into the cobblestone streets of the Talos Plaza District. It was around six in the evening and the sky above was a fiery orange with slight purple hues. We followed the street toward the districts center (where all the streets met.) There sat the golden dragon statue, housed in an open stone gazebo.

It was there that Claudius and Rena awaited us. Claudius had his blond hair oiled and slicked back and wore a clean white tunic. Rena wore a cream colored gown, made from heavy cloth. As we approached, the two rose to their feet and greeted us with a bow.

"You all look wonderful," commented Claudius. "Come now, the party has already begun to start. As I said yesterday, the Arboretum is located in one of the most southern districts of The Imperial City. We will need to walk through the Temple District in order to reach our destination. Follow us, please."

With Claudius and Rena leading the way, they brought us down a street that lead strait to the southern wall of the Talos Plaza District. The walls that surrounded and divided the districts were all tall and made from mortar and stone. As we walked, I queried Claudius as to "Why are most cities in Cyrodiil walled in? And, furthermore, why are the districts separated."

"What an odd question to ask," replied Claudius. "For our protection, of course! The outside wall protect us from invaders and the inner walls protect us from-"

"Each other?" asked Hui. "In Vvardenfell, there are no such barriers that surround the cities and, likewise, there are no physical barriers that separate the districts."

"I do not question the motives of The Empire, Hui. Besides, the inner walls are for our protection as well. They keep the villainous, thieving scum that reside in the more impoverished districts _out _of the upper class districts. How would you like it if you knew that thieves lurked in our very mists."

Zela gave a soft chuckle. "You are right, having thieves in our district would be a _travesty_," she said sarcastically. Claudius did not catch her sarcasm, though.

"Well, I am glad to see that _someone _agrees with my views," said Claudius.

Reaching the southern wall, we were met with the sight of a large wooden gate. Each district had four of these gates: one that lead to the outside if the city, two that opened into the adjacent districts and another that opened into the center of the city, where the White Gold Towed stood. Two guards were posted at each and they acted as the gatekeepers, controlling who passed through and who did not. When the two guards at the south gate noticed our wealthy attire, they opened the gate or us without a single hesitation. Amazing what power clothes have…

We now entered the Temple District, another residential district. This was where many religious leaders resided, such as bishops, popes, prophets, priests, and spiritual leaders. In the center of the district was the Temple of The One, a circular temple with a domed roof that gleamed orange in the setting sun.

"That is the Temple of The One," Hui explained to me as we walked by. There, the Dragonfires are within."

"What are they," I asked Hui.

"They are the fires that burn during the rule of the Emperor. When an Emperor is enstated, the fires that burn represent the covenant the Cyrodillic Empire shares with Akatosh, on of the Nine Divine. Unfortunately, Uriel Septim was assassinated, no currently, no flames burn. Only when his heir is located and takes his oath will the fires burn again."

"But Martin has been found! Are the fires not burning now?"

"Martin has yet to take the oath. The fires remain dormant… for now."

We followed Claudius and Rena further South toward the next gate. There, along with another pair of guards, an Imperial nobleman also stood watch. Once we approached, he immediately asked us to "State your business."

"We are all here for the get-together," replied Claudius.

"Ah yes, Claudius and Rena, I recognize you too. You both are more than welcome… but I do not recognize you four."

"I am Zaden," I stated. "With me is my wife, Zela, and my friends Hui and Varon. We are here for the event as well. We just recently arrived in the Talos Plaza District."

"I see… Well, I suppose you look the part. Come on in and enjoy your stay."

With that, the gates opened and we walked inside into the Arboretum. The Arboretum was a beautiful park, holding host to a number of statues. In the center, under a stone gazebo, was a grand statue of Tiber Septim, the hero-god who ushered in the Third Era with the conquering of all of Tamriel. Surrounding Tiber Septim, were statues of all the Nine Divines: Akatosh, Arkay, Dibella, Julianos, Kynareth, Mara, Stendarr, and Zenithar.

The gathering itself was tucked away in a corner of the Arboretum to the right of the gate, under a small grove of maple trees. There were many people there, all dressed in clothing that, if combined in worth, could feed an impoverished village for a year. While most were Imperial, I spotted a few Dunmer, a pair of Altmers, a few Bretons, and a lone Bosmer (or Wood Elf.)

Following Claudius and Rena still, we nestled our way into the group and, to my surprise, no one seemed to give us a second glance. They automatically assumed that since we were there, we belonged. It was a refreshing change of pace to what I came to expect.

No more than a few moments after we arrived, the servants (which were, much to the chagrin of Hui, Argonian and Khajiit) approached, offering us drinks and food. Hui and I each partook of a glass of brandy, Zela to some red wine, while Varon politely refused. I noticed that many of the attendents were smoking, either from pipes (done by the men) or from tobacco rolled into little cylinders of white paper, which were then placed at the end of a long, slender tube (by woman.)

Thankfully, Hui and I thought ahead and brought pipes of our own, and we both partook of the practice. Then, much to my surprise, Zela did so as well, and retrieved from a hidden pocket of her gown one of the white tobacco rolls and the slender tube. After fixing the rolled tobacco at the end of the tube, Zela casually asked me to "Light it."

"… Since when did you smoke?" I asked her.

"You know the saying, Zaden: "When in the Imperial City, do as the Imperials do."

"Actually, I do _not _know such a saying."

Zela smiled. "Just light the damn thing… Please."

Shrugging my shoulders, I produced a flame from my index finger and lit the end of the tube. As she took her first puff, I asked her, "What _are _those things?"

"They are called 'cigarettes,' Zaden. It means 'little cigar' if I am not mistaken."

"Why not smoke from a pipe?" I asked.

"Because any self respecting woman would not be caught dead with one. Whereas men smoke pipes, woman smoke _these_. Do not ask me why, it is just the way of things."

"If you say so," I said with a sigh.

Claudius then beckoned over an Imperial couple. The two in question were extremely well dressed and had a certain presence about them ( the man being imposing, the woman being timid). "Please," said Claudius to the man and woman, "I would like to introduce you to the newest members of the Talos Plaza. The man in white is Zaden, the beautiful lady to his side is his wife Zela, the Argonian is Hui, and the chap in gold is Varon Varvur."

The male of the couple reached over and shook my hand. "Greetings, Zaden," he said. "Glad to see that another joins our ranks."

"Ranks?" I asked.

"The rank of the high class, of course!... I must say, that home you currently occupy has been vacant for quite some time. I was beginning to wonder if another would _ever _live in it."

"If I may ask, Sir, who were the home's previous occupants?"

"Oh, it was a man by the name of Decumus Scotti, if I remember correctly. He was an estate agent, and a rather successful one, if I say so. Last I heard of him, he was sent away on business in Valenwood. Once he left, I never heard from him again."

"I see… so _he_ must have been the one who left the home furbished."

The man scoffed. "Highly unlikely," he commented. "The homes here are usually cleaned out once their occupants leave it. If you say that it was already furbished, then _another _must have done that work."

Interesting…

"But please," said the Imperial, "if we can change subjects, I would like to hear of _yoy_, Zaden. I take upon myself to become aquainted with all my neighbors. So, how is it that you came here to the Imperial City?"

"_Becareful, Zaden_," said Hui telepathically. "_Choose your words carefully. I do not think that they will take lightly to you being Nerevar._"

"_Relax, Hui_," I assured him. "_I am not that foolish_.

I was originally born in Cyrodiil, but as of a few years ago, I took an extended trip to VvardenfellI have been traveling for many years previous to this day," I said to the Imperial. "I traveled much of Vvardenfell and it was there that I met my future wife and friends."

"I see… What business did you have in Vvardenfell?" he asked.

"_Faction _business, I am afraid. Duty of the upmost importance beckoned me to Vvardenfell."

"Which faction, might I ask?"

"… I am sorry, but I am not at liberty to reveal that, nor am I at liberty to discuss any details of my work. I afraid it is much to classified."

"_Good work, Zaden_," said Hui.

The Imperial gave an agitated grunt. "… Very well, Zaden… However, you have yet to answer my question: What brings you _here_? Faction business as well?"

"Not this time. No, I decided that after all the fork my faction put me through, it was time to settle down, to live a life of retirement, and to start a family with Zela." I could see her smile from the corner of my eye. "The Bl-… My _faction_ put me through so much, I needed a rest."

"… I see," said the Imperial. "Well, I will not hold you any further, Zaden. Please, enjoy the rest of the party." He and his companion then rejoined the rest of the group.

That was close.

After dodging that arrow, the rest of the night went smoothly. We got aquanted with much of neighbors that night, eac and everyone more fascinating than the last. Some were politicians, others merely the heirs to mining fortunes in the other providences, and others "earned" their wealth through inheritance. As the night came to a close, I felt more at home than I ever felt previously… that is, until I spoke with the Dunmer.

I greeted myself to them just I had with all the others. The three Dunmer who were in attendance were very kind people, even going so far as to praise my marriage outside my race, to one of their kind. Then, as I spoke to one of the male Dunmer, I caught his eyes slowly inching downward… to my left hand. Suddenly, they grew as wide as dinner plates.

"… It- It cannot be!" said the Dunmer. "Zaden, your hand!"

Shit.

I quickly hid it beneath my sleeve, but it was too late.

"I can not believe you are here, N-!"

Thankfully, before he could utter my second name, Hui gave the Dunmer a sharp nudge to his shoulder. "Please," said Hui to the Dunmer, "I would do well to keep quiet what you know, if not for your sake, then _his_."

Immediately, the Dunmer took to Hui's words and kept his mouth shut. With my identity quickly becoming found out, I saught out Claudius and told him that "Regretfully, I must take an early leave."

"For what reason, Zaden?" he asked.

"… Zela has suddenly taken a tad ill, so we should return home for her to rest." Zela acted quickly and began to put on an act, displaying the sudden symptoms of a fever. Thankfully, Claudius bought her act.

"Oh, I am so sorry to hear that," he said. "You may go if you wish. I do hope she feels well soon. Also, if you and your friends ever wish to meet up again, please, feel free to stop by our home."

I quickly thanked him and Hui, Zela (still acting out her fever by holding onto me for support, Varon, and I made out way to the gate that led home. As we began to leave, the Dunmer from earlier yelled the final parting words of "Take care, Nerevar!"

The party suddenly went silent.

Fuck.

I whispered to the others to "Keep moving. Do not stop," but it did not matter at that point. The damage was already done. As we approached the gate, the guards, who overheard the Dunmer's words, halted us. We were now trapped.

Claudius and Rena were the first to approach, followed by the Imperial and his wife, followed shortly after by everyone else. "Excuse me, Zaden," said Claudius, "but what did the Dunmer refer to you as? Did he call you 'Nerevar'?"

The others and I slowly turned around. "I- I do not know why he call me as such," I lied. "It must have been a mistake." No one bought that. Just then, the Imperial, with anger in his face, grabbed the Dunmer and pulled him over to me. "You, Dunmer," he said to him, "you _did _call this man 'Nerevar!' How do you know this? Tell me?!"

The Dunmer was clearly scared out of his wits. His voice shook more than an earthquake. "Please," the Dunmer said, "I do not want any trouble. Let me go, please."

Angered even more, the Imperial gripped the Dunmer behind the neck and began to squeeze tighter and tighter. "There _will _be trouble if you do not tell me _everything_, now talk!"

At first, the Dunmer resisted, reaching behind his head in an attempt to release himself from the crushing grip, but he soon relented, and finally agreed to reveal what he knew. The Imperial released his grip and the Dunmer fell to the floor coughing. Slowly, he rose to his feet and approached me. He then grabbed my left hand, whispered "Forgive me," the raised it toward the setting light, revealing the Moon and Star insignia burned into my flesh.

An audible gasp emanated from the crowd. "I know that mark!" declared the Imperial. "That is Moon and Star, the mark of the Nerevar! He a traitor to the Empire!"

I ripped my arm from the feeble grip of the Dunmer. "… It is true," I finally admitted. I _am _Nerevar… But I am, in no way, a _traitor_!"

"Lies!" exclaimed the Imperial. "Nerevar Incarnate is seen as a prophet of the Dunmer, one who will free them of _foreign _enemies. So tell me: What enemies do the Dunmer have?... The _Imperial Empire_!" With that false declaration, there came a worried murmur throughout the crowd.

Caludius and Rena stepped forward. "Zaden," said Claudius, "why did you not tell us of this?"

"Because," I replied, "I feared something like _this _would happen."

The Imperial approached me, sticking his face directly before mine. Fire raged behind his grey eyes. "If I were you, _Nerevar_, I would leave this place, leave the Imperial City… for _good_."

I truly felt like crying… After so long, after all I did to protect the people of Cyrodiil, of _Tamriel_, they still viewed me as an enemy, a threat to all they believed in. With the tears finally making their appearance, slowly sliding down my cheeks, I turned to Zela and the others.

"Perhaps, I said, "it _is _best that we left."

Suddenly, a new voice sounded from the rear of the crowd. "I think _not_!" it declared.

In an instant, every head in the crowd, the Imperial's included, swiveled completely around. The crown parted down its center, revealing a figure, draped in a cloak of heavy white cloth and a deep hood that hid all but his mouth from view. From what little flesh was exposed, I could see the blue skin of a Dunmer. With folded arms, the Dunmer approached the now utterly shocked Imperial. "Bring any harm upon that man," said the Dunmer, "and your punishment will be unheard of."

The Imperial fell to his knees and bowed his head to his feat. "Your Saintliness," he said, "this is not as it seems!"

"_Silence_, you despicable cur!" snapped the cloaked Dunmer. "Do not try to deceive _me_, Imperial! You are scum to bring harm against this man. This man, Nerevar, is a greater man than you can ever dream of becoming."

"But, your saintliness, he is an enemy to the Empire!"

"You know not of what you speak!" The Dunmer lifter his head and scanned the crowd. "You _all _have been brainwashed by the teachings of the Empire, taught to believe something that is simply not true! The first Nerevar was a friend to all and Nerevar _Incarnate _holds true to that. Nerevar only brings harm upon those who bring harm upon others. He is a merciful soul."

"How are you certain, your saintliness?" asked the quivering Imperial on his knees.

"I am certain," replied the Dunmer, as his head turned back to me, "because I have my life to owe him."

That voice, the gruff of it… It seemed so distantly familiar, yet I could not pin point exactly how I recognized it.

"Your saintliness?" I said. "How do you know all this about me?"

He smiled. "It has been a long time since out last encounter, Nerevar, but it seems that _fate _has brought us together once again." The Dunmer then lifted the hood from his head, revealing his face, his shaven head… and his _one _red eye.

"Jiub!" I exclaimed.

He smiled. "It is great to see you again, Nerevar."

O0o

Thanks to Jiub, we were saved from harm. Using his status, he convinced all who attended the party, as well as the guards, not to speak a word of what happened that night. When all was settled, Jiub brought us to his home in the Talos Plaza District which, as "fate" would have it, was to the exact right of ours. It was there that we settled down in his lounge where we all shared tea and told each other of what we had been up to in the last years.

"A _saint_?" I asked Jiub as we sat across his coffee table from each other. "How did this come about?"

Jiub smiled. "I took your words to heart, Zaden," he replied.

"What words?"

"I believe they were 'if I ever have the misfortune of seeing your face ever again, you had better changed your ways for good.'

I took a long look at my life after you released me. I came to realize that I was nothing more than a criminal; a murderous criminal who was running from his past, whose destiny was to fall back into the pit I dug myself into. If I continued along that path I held, I would have amounted to nothing.

When you spared my life, when _Nerevar Incarnate _spared my life, it showed me that my life was actually worth saving.

That night, the night you forsaked me, I wandered the southern coast of Vvardenfell, searching for a purpose. Eventually, after many days, I happened upon a traveling group that was caught in a dell, surrounded by ravenous Nix-Hounds. Normally, I would have left the beasts to their work, but I knew that if I was to change, I needed to intervene.

So, taking my dagger in hand, I jump down into the dell, placing myself between the family and the hounds. It turned out to be a foolish mistake because, even though their attention was drawn from the family, I was now outnumbered five to one. With precise tactics and skill, all five of the Nix-Hound pounced on me and began to rip at my flesh. The pain was… something nobody should _ever_ experience. In fact… I came within an inch of death.

The only thing that saved me… was that woman."

"Woman?" asked Hui. "What woman?"

"… I never saw her face," Jiub replied. "In the mists of all clawing and the tearing of flesh, the white silhouette of a beautiful woman appeared before my eyes. She spoke with such a beautiful voice. She said to me, 'Jiub, he who has been forsaken by one of my servants, your life _is _worth saving. You think you life has not a purpose?' She then reached out with her hand and placed her middle and index finger upon my brow. 'I shall give it purpose,' she said. 'With this gift I bestow upon you, the beasts of Tamriel shall bend to your whim. Use it wisely.'"

Suddenly, I felt an incredible surge of energy unlike anything I have ever felt before. It felt like… I gained a second heartbeat… I know what I am saying sounds like nonsense, but that is the truth."

"It is not nonsense," said Hui. "What you felt was what we mages refer to as your 'Heart of Mana.' It is the source of our inner mana, where we derive our power. Zaden experienced the same thing when his inner mage was awakened. I also believe the woman that spoke to you was the goddess Azura."

"Yes, Hui, _that _ much I learned on my own. Anyway, then she was finished bestowing her gift, she left me these parting words before she vanished: 'Command them, and they shall follow.'

After she vanished, the searing pain of the Nix-Hounds ripping me apart came surging back. With my life slipping away, I screamed 'Stop!' at the top of my lungs.

Amazingly, they halted their attack immediately, and all the hounds stepped off my body.

I forced myself onto my feet to find that the once wild animals now acted as if domesticated, standing docile, waiting for their next command. Unsure what to make of this, I told the beasts to simply 'Leave,' and they did. They all turned their backs to the family and I and speed off into the forest.

I turned to the family. 'Are you all safe?' I asked them. However before they could respond, my body gave out from the pain, and I blacked out.

I reawakened in a small room in a soft bed, my damaged body now bandaged. As I got up and sat on the edge of the bed, a Breton, dressed in a mage's robe, entered to check on my progress. He told me that, after I blacked out, the family brought me here, to the Vivec Mages Guild, so that I may be healed. He said that I was out for at least half a day.

When he was sure that I was fine, he then began to question me on how I was able to command the wild beasts. I told him of what happened, on how that mysterious woman appeared before me and granted me such power. Intriuged, the mage explained that the power I now had was an ancient ability of the mages that was, up until now, considered lost. He said it was the power of the 'Beast Masters,' a sect of mages who were able to command the beasts of this world simply with thought.

Then, and rather abruptly, the Breton offered me the opportunity to join the Mages Guild, in the hopes that I can learn to control and build upon my new ability. With not another future ahead of me, I agreed.

Under the tutelage of that Breton, I began to explore my ability. Every day, we would ride into the mists of the forest and search for wild animals. Once found, I imposed my will upon them (a process I began to call 'indoctrination') and pushed the boundaries of what I could do. Since beasts are simple, they can only obey and understand simple commands, such as 'Attack,' 'stay,' 'follow,' and so on. At first, I began with a single animal, but with intense training, I was able to expand the area of my control, recruiting all wild animals with in an area of about half a mile.

However, it was with such training that I learned the limitations of my ability. Daedra seemed to be that one thing I could not indoctrinate. Whereas the minds of beasts are simple, daedra are intelligent being and are not so easily influenced.

Now, the explanation as to how I became a _saint _is another story…

As I was still under tutelage of my master and we travelled across the lands in search of beasts to indoctrinate. As we searched, we came upon a horrid sight: we passed a small trading came on the road between Vivec and Balmora… and it was devastated by Cliff Racers. We quickly searched the wreckage and masses of dead bodies for any survivors. We found one, and he was barely clinging to life. Thankfully, he head strength enough to tell us what happened. He told that, without warning, a massive flock of diseased Cliff Racers swarmed the camp and began to attack and devour everyone. They people tried to defend themselves, but the Cliff Racers were simply overpowering.

I looked upon the destruction that those winged devils wrought and I became infuriated. 'Damn those wraiths with wings!' I exclaimed aloud. 'They are nothing but a blight upon this land! All of their kind should be extinguished!'

'I feel your pain,' said my master, 'but what can be done? The Cliff Racers are of untld numbers. It is impossible to rid all of Vvardenfell of them.'

It was then that I realized my purpose; the reason Azura bestowed upon me the abilities of the Beast Masters. I turned toward my master and confidently declared, 'No, it _is _possible. Master, assemble the most powerful mages in the Vivec Mages Guild. I will need their combined mana.'

'What are planning, my apprentice?' he asked me.

'With my power of indoctrination, I will rid Vvardenfell of these creatures forever!'"

"And you were successful?!" I asked.

"Not at first, Zaden. First, I needed to propose my intentions to the high ranked mages of the Vivec Mages Guild. They scoffed at my proposal at first. However, through much persistence, they finally agreed.

On that fateful day, my master, five of the most powerful mages we could recruit, and I set off to search for a place of meditation. Eventually, we came upon a place deep in the woods between Balmora and Suran, where the mana was exceptionally strong. It was there that we all began to meditate and absorb the mana about us. As we meditated, the six other mages channeled their mana to me. After many hours of concentration, I accumulated an untold amount of mana, enough mana that, if harnessed into a single blast of mage's fire, it would most likely scorch all of Vvardenfell.

And so, with every shred of mana I now possessed, I released a powerful display of my indoctrination. My reach spread far and wide, beyond many horizons and across the entire island. It was such an incredible feeling, to hold the fate of Vvardenfell entire ecosystem in my grasp. With my indoctrination's reach across the entirety of Vvardenfell, I commanded all Cliff racers to 'Travel North.'

And they did.

Into the frozen North they went, where I sent them to a frozen death. In one act, I ridded Vvardenfell of their blight, and for that, I was dubbed a saint: Saint Jiub."

For the longest time, Hui, Zela, Varon, and I sat speechless, unable to comprehend what he told us. How was such a feat possible. "So…" I said, "you rid Vvardenfell of _ALL _Cliff Racers?!"

'That is correct," he replied nonchalantly.

All I could do is shake my head and smile. "I suppose time can change all of us," I said.

"Indeed… So, Nerevar, are you going to kill me _now_?"

"Excuse me?!" I asked.

"Your parting words, Nerevar. You said that if I had not changed before our last encounter, you would kill me. So? Do I meet your approval?" he asked with a smile.

"… I suppose so," I replied sarcastically. "Besides, killing a saint would not look very well upon me now, would it?"

Jiub grinned. "I suppose not…"

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**Now how about that? A game reference AND a returning character.**

**The game reference, for those of you who don't know, was the mention of Scotti. If you played Morrowind, there was a great series of in-game books called "A Dance in Fire." It told the story of Scotti, a estate agent, who travels to Black Marsh in order to head a conolization project. His further adventures are told in the Oblivion in-game books "The Argonain Account."**

**Now, the recurring character, for those who failed to read "Morrowind: The Legend of Zaden," is the character Jiub. In the first book, Jiub was the first person Zaden met while on the refugee boat. Jiub then reappears as a criminal who took Zela captive and attempted to rob from Zaden (who was not seen as Nerevar.) Unfortunately for Jiub, Zaden was able to foil his plans and he had the chance to kill him. However, Zaden spared Jiubs life and told him if he ever saw him again, he had better become a ritious person, or he _would _kill him.**

**Imagine Zaden's surprise to meet with Jiub and learn that he became a saint?**

**Sorry it took so long to upload this. I have been having MAJOR writer's block and could not, for the life of me, progress the story. At any rate, her it is, and I hope you enjoyed it.  
**


	9. The Arena

Chapter 8: The Arena

I was relieved when that day was over. I knew that Jiub told the residents of the Talos Plaza District to keep quiet of my identity, but if I learned anything over the years, I knew that people were horrible at keeping secrets. I feared that it would only be a matter of time before my second identity would be exposed to all.

I had heard many stories of the Imperial City. Some described it as the grandest city in all of Tamriel, the pinnacle of Imperial culture. Well, if one were to judge from their architecture alone, you might agree. Take the White Gold Tower for example, a monolithic structure that reaches hundreds of feet toward the sky, a structure that can be seen from miles away. It seemed to gleam in the sun throughout the day.

With no Guild or Goddess related obligations to fulfill, I found myself with much free time. I took said time to visit the other districts of the Imperial City. Apart from the three we had already visited, there was the Market district which, as it name implies, held host to many shops, pubs, and places of entertainment. There was also the Elven Gardens District, which was another place of residence. The central district was the Green Emperor Way which, apart from containing the White Gold Tower, was a graveyard, which held the graves of many notable figures in Tamriel's history.

However, the last district, the Arena District, was the one that captivated me the most. I would hear many stories about the most famous of Arena fighters, how they slayed many beasts and other foes. After I visited the Arena one day and watched a match between two swoardman, I immediately decided that _I _would fight in the Arena as well.

Unfortunatly, convincing Zela to allow me turned out to be a bigger hassle than I originally thought… or perhaps not.

o0o

It was a Monday when I decided to propose my thoughts of fighting in the Arena. It was morn, and Hui, Zela, Varon, and I were sitting at the table and enjoying our breakfast. I started off the conversation with a simple question. "Has anyone else been to the Arena?" I asked.

Zela looked up from her plate. "What is meant by 'anyone _else_?'" she asked. "Do you admit that you have been?"

"A few times before before," I said. "One was a match between two swordsmen. The fight dragged on for what seemed an eternity, but in the end, one came out of the Arena with his their life."

Hui game a slight hum. "I admit," Hui said, "I have been secretly wanting to see an Arena fight. They say that it is a must see for anyone who lives in or passes through the Imperial City."

"Beh," scoffed Zela. "_Senseless _fighting, that is. We _all _have seen enough fighting in our time to sastisfy the most bloodthirsty of Arena spectators."

"Well," I said with a grin, "I am sad to hear that, because… I was thinking that _I _would participate in a fight."

The room seemed to become dead silent as, in unison, Hui, Zela, and Varon's heads shot up from their breakfast.

"Participate in an Arena fight?!" asked Zela, who then quickly shook her head. "No, Zaden, no. I thought we came to the Imperial City to get _away _from the dangers of our lives, and now you want to put yourself in more danger?!"

"Relax, my love," I assured her. "I have witnessed fights in the Arena. Their best fighters pale in comparison to _my _skill. It will be an easy fight."

"But those are _people_, Zaden, people with families and lives to live! Do you truly want to end their lives simply for sport?"

"Again, my love, there is no need for worry. I have also seen fights where warriors face off against beasts, animals taken from the wild. If I do as such, no _innocent _lives will be taken."

Zela sighed. "Even so," she said, "I still do not want you to put yourself into unnecessary harm." She looked to the others. "I am sure _they _will agree with me, right?" she asked them.

Hui took a sip of his tea. "Actually," Hui said, "I must admit that I want to fight as well. It _has _been a long time, and I fear that I have grown rusty." Hui turned to me. "We can fight together, Zaden, just like old times!"

Zela grew even more distraught. "I cannot believe what I am hearing!" She turned to Varon. "Please, Varon, talk sense into these two!"

Varon smiled. "I apologize, Zela, but I long to see these two in combat. It has been a long while since I have _witness _a good fight. Again, I apologize, but I support Zaden and Hui's decision."

With Zela outnumbered four to one, Zela, much to her dismay, relented. With a long sigh, she slump back into her chair. "Ugh… _Fine_," she moaned, "do as you wish, but do not say I warned you so."

I could not blame her for her unhappiness. After all we went through, I can understand her feelings. Getting up from my chair, I walked behind her and gave her a kiss on her left cheek. "Do not worry yourself," I said to her, "I promise you that I will come back in one piece."

o0o

The day grew hotter as the sun rose higher into the sky. Today was, apparently, a holiday, so the Arena District was packed with citizens, too many to count. Cutting across the Green Emperor Way to the Arena district, we entered the district before the Arena's entrance. A great line had formed in front of the Arena's main gate, where stairs lead to the bleachers. The lines themselves were imposing, implying that we would be waiting for a seat for a _long _time.

Zela had dressed for the outing in a stunning sundress of a light green color and sporting a pink parasol. Hui and Varon, however, dress in their normal attire. I (while I dressed normally, cape included) came prepared to fight in the Arena, armed with every weapon I owned: Blunderbuss, my two side arms, six pouches of shotgun shells, my daedric longsword, and my silver dagger, tucked away against my breast.

As we waited, by stroke of luck, Claudius and his wife Lena came walking by. We waved them "Hello" and they approached. Immediately, Claudius asked us, "Why do you wait out here?"

"We came to watch the fights," I replied.

"Oh, you need not wait out here with these vagabonds," said Claudius bluntly, in full hearing of all the "Vagabonds" that stood near. "Follow us, Zaden, and we shall seat you in the 'royal' seating."

We followed the two toward the Arena entrance, cutting in front of all the other citizens who were forced to wait in the baking sun. At the entrance, there were three doors: the door to the left lead to the "public" seating, the door on the right lead to the "royal" seating, and a door behind the ticket booth, I assumed, lead to the Arena bloodworks, where the combatants prepared for their moments in the arena.

Once at the entrance, Clauduis was gracious enough to pay for all our tickets (though Hui and I refused ours, for obvious reasons.) Everyone else went through the door on the right to grab their seats, while Hui and I remained at the entrance.

"What are you two doing here?" asked the blonde haired Bosmer who took the tickets, "why are you two not getting to your seats?"

"The Argonian and I," I said to the Bosmer, "wish to be _combatants_ in the Arena."

Instantly, the Bosmer burst into laughter. "You jest, right?" he asked. "Only a fool seeks his own destruction."

Hui steeped forward. "Please, bookmaker," said Hui, "we are skilled warriors. If you let us enter the bloodworks to speak with the Blademaster, the spectators will witness a fight unlike they have ever seen."

As Hui spoke, I felt some of his energy being released. He was using a form of indoctrination on the bookmaker.

"Well," said the Bosmer, "I suppose I _could _let you two enter.. but be quick about it. Go on, in you go." It worked.

Hui and I then entered the door behind the booking desk and into the underworks of the Arena. Once inside, we were instantly overwhelmed with humid and stagnant air, the place smelled of blood and sweat. The bloodworks were inhabited with many gladiators: some swung their swords at wooden body dummies, some shot arrows at targets, and some sharpened their blades for their next battles.

After a few minutes of search, we came upon the Blademaster himself, a Redguard with short grey hair and clad in silver armor. He sat quietly in a chair and sharpened a steel long sword. As we approached, he shot us an accusing look. "What in Oblivion do _you _two want?" he snapped.

"My friend Hui and I," I replied, "wish to fight in the Arena today. We promise a good show if you accept."

As was with the Bosmer, he began to laugh right in our face. "What?! You are joking right? I cannot just allow _anyone _in the ring! How can I be sure that you would not just die right away?"

"We are both skilled warriors," said Hui. "My friend here is skilled in swordplay, magic, and the use of his firearms. I, while I cannot use a sword or guns, am _more _than skilled in magic."

The Redguard gave the proposition some thought. "I see… well, you _do _look like seasoned warriors… Well, let us just say that I _was _to allow you the floor, what would prefer to fight: other combatants, or the many beasts we have in storage?"

Please," I said, "we wish not to take the lives of any citizens of the Empire. We shall face your beasts, the strongest you possess."

"The strongest?! You two have gilded balls to make such a request… I am probably going to regret this decision, but I shall allow you your chance to fight." The Blademaster rose from his chair. "Ok, listen up you two. There is only one rule to follow when you are out there: keep the crowd happy. If possible, make your combat as visually stunning. The stronger your response from the crowd, the bigger your reward money once the fight is finished… that is, if you make it out alive."

"Do not worry," I said, "we do not plan on dying today."

"Right… Well, the crowd awaits. We will raise you up into the center of the arena floor with the lift. Oh, and before you leave, I will need a gladiator name from you two, a 'stage name,' if you will."

"… I shall be 'The White Warrior,'" I replied.

"And I, the 'Argonian Scourge,'" said Hui.

With that, Hui and I walked to a wooden platform in the center of the bloodworks. Chains hung from the ceiling and connected to said platform. Hui and I looked up and saw a metal grate above our heads. When the platform was raised, the grating would be pushed aside and we can step onto the Arena floor.

As we waited, the Blademaster headed upstairs to give an announcement. A few moments later, we could hear his booming voice from above, a voice that echoed through the entire Arena.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" he exclaimed. "Citizens of the Empire! Today, I bring before you a match unlike any other. Not a moment ago, two strangers came before me and demanded that they bring forth the strongest beasts the Arena can muster! I accepted their challenge, so, please welcome 'The White Warrior' and 'The Argonian Scourge!'"

A moment later, the mechanisms of the lift turned on, and the platform began to slowly rise toward the light. As we rose closer toward the Arena floor, I unsling Blunderbuss from its scabbard and cocked a fresh shell into its chamber. "Are you prepared, Hui?" I asked him.

Hui took the staff from his back and channeled his energy into it, causing the crystal at its head to glow a fiery red. "Absolutely," replied Hui.

Once the platform came within a few feet of the grating, it slid off to the side, and Hui and I rose from the floor in the very center of the Arena floor. The pit itself was grand, measuring fifty feet across. Long, bloody spikes lined the pit's perimeter. Also, there stood four stone pillars near the pit's center, which had rusty shackles hanging from it. Four metal gates were located I at the cardinal directions of the Arena floor (most likely where the beasts would be released.)

As we rose from the floor, the crowd, which numbered in the thousands, gave a thunderous applause. Hui and I greeted their applause by bowing to each of the seating sections. The Blademaster gave another announcement.

"White Warrior and Argonian Scourge," he said, "prepare yourselves, for our beasts shall show no mercy… Lower the gates!"

All four gates lowered with metallic screeching. From behind each gate, a pair of Timber Wolves emerged, making a total of eight to fend off. The wolves wasted no time in surrounding us and slowly, they inched forward, bearing their bloody teeth.

"_Split the count fifty-fifty?_" I asked Hui.

"_I suppose so…_" Hui joked.

The wolves were the first to strike. Two wolves before me made a coordinated pounce forward, lunging forward with their claws exposed. I brought Blunderbuss to aim, the barrel's end aimed at the wolf to the left. With a pull of the trigger, a bloody hole was blasted through the beast's head, and it fell into the sand with a thud. With its comrade down, the other wolf became enraged, and he jumped through the air in an attempt to pin me down. Unfortunately for him, I had positioned the bayonet of Blunderbuss between us, and the blade sung into the beast's heart.

The two other wolves then charged forward for their attack. Again, unfortunately for them, they stood no chance against me. Raisint my hand toward the beasts, I channeled mana through my arm and released from my fingertips a powerful bolt of lightening that struck both targets at once. Their bodies convulsed from the electricity, their fur began to smolder, and they let out painful moans as they slowly died.

With my foes vanquished, I turned to Hui to see if he was finished with his beasts. He was. In place of the four wolves were four smoking piles of ash. "Nice work," I commented.

A thunderous applause erupted from the crowd, and the Blademaster made another announcement. "Incredible!" he exclaimed. "The two vanquished their foes without breaking a bead of sweat! Perhaps our competitors wish for more of a challenge? What say you, warriors?"

"Bring your best froward!" taunted Hui with a grin on his face.

"Very well… Release the trolls!"

From the north gate, there came a series of fierce roars. From the dark tunnel of the gate came a trio of forest trolls: creatures with large mouths that were lined with pointed teeth, three eyes on the brow of their faces, brown fur that covered their whole bodies, and huge arms that bared three long claws each.

The trolls charged us at full running speed, bring their heads forward for a head butting attack. Hui and I thought alike. We allowed the beasts to charge us and, at the very last possible moment, we side-stepped and the beasts went stomping past. As they stumbled to a stop, I fired a shell into the base of one of the troll's neck, sending the pellets ripping through and spraying blood across the sand. Hui sent a powerful burst of mana through his staff and fired an orb of frost magic at a second troll. The very instant the orb made contact with its fur, the troll was instantly frozen like a block of ice.

The troll that remained was left to look upon its fallen comrades: one with a hole blasted through its neck and its face now in a pool of its own blood, the second frozen like a sculpture. The remaining troll began to quiver and whine in fear of its own life. Normally, I would have spared this creature, but the roar of the crowd imbued me with a sort of bloodlust, and I ended the final troll's life with a precise shot to the head.

The crowd's roar was now nearing deafening. "Astounding!" exclaimed the Blademaster. "This pair is turning out to be quite the fighting force!"

I looked into the stands where the Blademaster sat. "I thought my friend said to bring your _best_, not your _worst_!" I taunted. That brought many cheers from the audience.

It was hard to say if the Blademaster actually took offence to the taunt, but he met it all the same. "Very well, White Warrior," he replied, "if it is a challenge you want, a challenge you shall get... Release the Minotaurs!"

A few moments later, the gate to Hui and I's left lowered. From it, a pair of tall creatures strode. I have seen illustrations of Minotaur in my studies, but mere pictured cannot compare to real life. Minotaurs were strange creatures. They had the legs of bulls, the bodies of men, and the heads of bulls, with long horns that pointed toward the sky. Since they stood upon their hind legs, they towered over us at what I estimated to be about ten feet. In each of the creatures right hands were war hammers.

"_I suppose we shall split the opponents fifty-fifty, Zaden?_" asked Hui.

I nodded.

Leaving Hui to the Minotaur on the left, I began my assault on the second. The minotaur raised his heavy war hammer high above its head and swung downward. I dodged the weapon, but the shockwave it caused from hitting the grounds made me stumble slightly. Then, as it lifted the weapon for another attack, I aimed and fired a shot into its left forearm. While the shot clearly hurt him, and the beast groaned to signify that, it quickly shrugged off the pain, and prepared to strike again.

The Minotaur bent its head backwards and with a forceful grunt, swung its horns downward at me. I strafed to the left and, as the horns plummeted downward, I swung the bayonet at the Minotaur's left horn. It cut clean through. The beast roared in pain once more, but it quickly replaced the pain with even more rage.

The beast reared its hammer wielding arm back and made a powerful swipe at me. Projecting a magic around me, the hammer simply bounced off, causing the creature to recoil. As it did, I took aim at the wrist of its right arm (the arm with which it wielded its weapon) and began to wildly fire shell after shell into it. Each shot brutally peppered the arm with daedric buckshot, causing the wounds to bleed profusely. After about eleven shots, the desired effect was achieved, and its weapon hand was separated from the rest of the arm.

The Minotaur clutched its arm and voiced yet another pained roar. As the beast clutched its wound, I looked to Hui to see how he was holding up. He was on the opposite side of the arena, firing orbs of fire at his Minotaur in a shotgun-like style. Each shot that connected caused the Minotaur to reel backwards, bringing him closer to the Arena perimeter, where deadly spikes waited. When the beast was within a few feet of the perimeter, Hui launched one final, powerful blast of fire that sent the Minotaur flying strait into the impaling spikes.

Turning back to _my _Minotaur, it was finally beginning to recover from its wound. I decided to end its misery quickly, and channeling mana through my right arm, I fired a bolt of lightning strait through the beast's head, ending its life in a flash.

As the Minotaur collapsed to the ground, applause from the people grew exponentially. A standing ovation was held by all, and a chant began to grow. "More! More! More!" they cheered.

Hui and I looked back to the Blademaster, who had a flabbergasted look upon his face. "I- I do not know what to say, warriors!" he said. "It seems that everything we send your way, you defeat with the slightest of ease! I do not know if there are any more beasts for you to face!"

"Come now!" I taunted. "The crowd, she begs for more! Surely there is one last foe to face!"

The Blademaster turned to his advisors and began to speak with them.

"_How feel you, Hui?_" I asked him. "_Have you enough energy for one final match?_"

"_Yes, Zaden,_" he replied. "_I can fight once more, but more than that, I cannot promise._"

After a few more moments of talk, the Blademaster returned from his discussion. "Warriors!" he announced. "You two have best all that was brought before you! You have more than earned the title of Arena Gladiator! However… the rules of the Arena are clear: Many may enter, but one shall remain."

"_This does not sound good_," said Hui.

"It is clear to me," continued the Blademaster, "that nothing _we _can offer you is of any challenge… But what would be the outcome… If you faced _each other?_!"

The bloodthirsty crowd erupted. "I command that one final match be held: The White Warrior against the Argonain Scourge, for the glory and supremacy of the day!"

As the crowd roared once more, Hui turned to me. "This is madness!" he said. "Does he expect us to turn on each other so easily?! Zaden, we cannot accept this match!"

"I agree, Hui," I replied. I tuned back to the Blademaster.

"Well, warriors?" he asked. "Do you accept this challenge?"

"… Never!" I exclaimed. This produced outrage from the audience, displayed with "Boos" and the throwing of food and drink. "The Argonian Scourge is a friend of mine, and I will not betray such friendship, and you are a sick man to even propose such a thing!"

Quickly, the boos turned to exclamations, as standing up against the Blademaster was a major offence for any gladiator to commit. "You putrid cur!" the Blademaster said with rage. "I command you two to fight this instant!"

Hui steeped forward. "We have already proven ourselves to the Arena!" said Hui. "You are done giving us orders!" This produced more cheers from the spectators.

"Guards!"

An instant later, a group of armored guards swarmed Hui and I, enclosing us on all sides. "Stay where you are, warriors. If you will not obey my commands, then I shall you _both _on!" The Blademaster then left his observation stand and, a few moments later, he appeared on the Arena floor, clad in ebony armor and clutching an ebony claymore in his hands. The crowd booed his appearance. He entered the ring of guards and stood ready to fight.

"We have no need to fight you, Blademaster!" I said. "Let us go in peace. You need not bring harm upon yourself."

"Oh," said the Blademaster, "it is not _I _who shall be harmed, but rather _you_!"

Clutching his sword tight, the Blademaster made a furious charge at me. I had no need to fight this man. I needed to end this fight with less damage as possible. So, quickly unholstering one of my sidearms, I fired a single shot into his right leg, crippling him indefinitely.

As he fell to the ground and clutched his would, I leaned over his body. "This fight," I said, "is _over_." I turned to Hui. "Let us leave this place."

With that, we slowly walked to the center of the ring, where the platform was lowered. The applause from the crowd was now incredible, louder than it ever was previously. As Hui and I descended into the bloodworks gave me a smile and told me "You did good, Nerevar."

"As did you, 'Argonain Scourge,'" I replied.


	10. Thieves Guild

Chapter 9: Thieves Guild

Word of my glorious Arena victory spread like wildfire through the Imperial City. It was not long before total strangers came to our doorstep, congratulating me, asking for things such as autographs, and so on. One adoring fan, in particular, would stand outside my front door for hours on end, just waiting for a glimpse of me. At first, I allowed him to do so, but when it became too much, I kindly asked him to "Scram!" He took it rather well.

After some time, our lives returned to normal (or as normal as our lives _could_ get.) However, as the days went by, for the past couple of weeks, I noticed something… _different_, about Zela. Normally, when I offered to go out for dinner or to just walk around the city, she would not skip a beat in replying "Sure!" But lately, she had refused nearly all offers, and would rather stay home. When Hui, Varon, and I would go out, she offered to stay home alone.

This trend began to worry me, but I never questioned her as to _why_ she was acting in this manner.

o0o

The sun was beginning to set in the West. The sky was turning a stunning mix of crimson and orange. Varon, Hui, and I were walking home from another social gathering in the Arboretum. As we walked the streets of the Talos Plaza District home, I switched our conversation to Zela.

"Is anyone else troubled with Zela recent demeanor?" I asked the two.

Varon gave a solemn nod. "I admit," said Varon, "I have noticed Zela's mood dip as of late. She is more prone to be reclusive and not as socially active, as she _usually_ is. Zaden, do you have any idea what may be the cause of it?"

I shook my head. "I have not a single idea," I replied. "This change happened so sudden, I cannot pinpoint a direct cause. Do you have any thoughts? Hui?"

Hui slowly shook his head. "I have not an idea as well," he replied. "Perhaps when we return home, you should _ask_ her."

"I am afraid that if I do, I will somehow upset her."

"But if you do not, she could possibly stay in this state _perpetually_. You have nothing else to lose, Zaden."

"Well… perhaps you are correct, Hui. When we return, I will ask."

When we returned home, we found Jiub sitting on a bench outside his home, smoking from an ivory pipe. When we came near the front door, Jiub stood up from his seat and approached. "Zaden," he said, "a word?"

"Sure," I replied. "What is it?"

"Well, it may not be any of my business, but about twenty minutes after you three left, I observed three darkly clothes individuals let into your home."

"Darkly clothed?" asked Hui.

Jiub nodded. "They were all cloaked; I could not see their faces. They were let in by Zela, Zaden, and then they left about ten minutes later. Would you perchance know who they were?"

"_No_," I said, "I did not know Zela had _other _friends… Thank you for telling me…"

"_Something troubling you, Zaden?_" asked Hui.

"_If Zela had other friends, she would have introduced them to us. I know Zela keeps certain secrets from me, but this…_"

Fear suddenly struck me. I quickly unlocked the door and threw it open. The inside looked to be untouched, everything was in the same place as when I left. "Scan the house for anything suspicious," I said to Hui and Varon. "I will check on Zela."

Fearing the worst, I sprinted up the stairs and to Zela and I's bedroom. I grabbed the knob of the door and turned, only to find that it was locked.

As I began to shake the knob furiously, Zela's worried voice sounded from within the room. "Who is there?!" she screamed.

"Zela, It is _me_," I replied. "Let me in. I want to talk to you."

"Go away!" she said. "I want to be left alone!"

She sounded like she was crying. Now I _knew_ something was wrong. "Zela," I said, "Jiub said that he saw you let people into the house after we left. Who were they, Zela?"

"Go away!" she screamed.

This was not like her, not like her at all. "Zela, what is going on?" I asked. "It is not like you to keep secrets from me."

"Oh, but that is where you are wrong, my husband," she wept. "I _have _been keeping a secret from you, though I am ashamed to admit it."

"Zela, you know you can tell me _anything_. Please, tell me what is wrong."

"I will, Zaden, I will, but not at this very moment… Please, go back downstairs and I will be down shortly. I will explain everything then."

This was all very strange to me: unannounced visitors, Zela sudden change in behavior, and these supposed secrets. With my mind a flutter, I slowly walked back downstairs to the lounge. There, Hui and Varon awaited.

"We searched the whole downstairs as you asked, Zaden," said Hui, "but alas, we found nothing out of place. The home remains just as it was when we left not a couple hours ago. How is Zela? Is she safe?"

"Yes, she is safe," I assured Hui, "but her mood has drastically changed. She had locked our bedroom door and refused to open it. She then admitted that she had been keeping secrets from me… This is all so strange."

"What of the visitors?" asked Varon. "Did Zela admit to knowing them?"

"_That_ I know not. She did say that she would be downstairs soon and that she would explain all."

And so we waited a period of time that reached close to ten minutes. At least, that is what the _clock_ said. If I were to be the judge, it was like waiting a _year's_ time. Finally though, we heard the door to the upstairs master bedroom open and heard footsteps coming down the steps. When Zela appeared at the foot of the stairs, we were _all _thoroughly surprised.

No longer was she dressed pleasantly in a silk robe of lavender. Now, she stood before us in a full set of black leather armor (save the helm.) A black leather belt fit tight upon her waist and was lined with weapons: the seven spring loaded Dwemer knives, throwing stars, and a pair of matching silver daggers. The two Dwemer shortswords poked over her left and right shoulder. In her right hand was a long, dark hooded cloak, which she quickly flung over her shoulder

She looked… like a thief.

"Zela?" I said from shock. "What is this all about?"

Her demeanor was once again changed. Her voice _now_ spoke with unmistakable authority. A fierce fire burned in her blood red eyes. "Today, I _quit _the Thieves Guild," she declared.

To call this unexpected would be an understatement.

"Quit?" I asked. "What do you mean 'Quit?'"

"Are you deaf? I said I am going to _quit_. Is that too difficult for you to understand?"

"But _why_, Zela? Why now?"

"Listen, damn it, I do not have time to explain. Go upstairs and arm yourself with all your weapons: Blunderbuss, your sword, whatever, Do it quick, though. I shall await you outside." She then quickly marched out the door.

I had never seen Zela act in such a way. Sure, when the situation arose, she would not shy away from ferocity in battle. But this was different. It was as if I was looking at a completely different person, as if the Zela I knew was replaced with a hardened thief.

Honestly, it scared me…

o0o

Following Zela's orders, I went upstairs to our room, and armed myself with every weapon I owned. Once fully equip, I stepped outside, where Zela awaited with irritation on her face and her left foot tapping furious. "Took you long enough," she barked. "Come on," she said, and she threw black hood over her head, "we have not much time. Follow close."

I followed Zela as she led me into the Green Emperor Way, the center of the Imperial City. This way was merely a shortcut to our true destination: The Market District. Today, the district was congested with people. Walking through the crowd was a major predicament; the direction of our travel went the exact opposite way of the flow of people in the streets. Never the less, Zela pushed her way through the flow and I followed still.

I followed Zela into a dark and narrow alley way between two buildings. It was barely wide enough to allow two people to pass each other. Once in the center, she halted and turned around to face me. She kept her head bowed toward the ground. "Ahead of us," she whispered, "is where the Thieves Guild hideout is. From this moment onward, I want you to speak not a word unless I allow it. Is that understood?" I nodded. "Furthmore, you are not to antagonize or engage anyone within the hideout. I do want this to go off without a hitch. Got it?" I nodded once more.

"… Listen, Zaden, I apologize for being so harsh," she said, her voice finally softening, "I just want this day to go perfectly. If but one cog fails to turn, then this day could be ruined, and I may never get a chance to do away with my thieving life ever again. I- I am so nervous that something will go wrong-"

I kissed Zela on the forehead. "Nothing will go wrong," I assured her. "As long as I am here, I will make sure that, by the end of this day, the Thieves Guild will be but a distant memory."

For the first time all day, Zela smiled. "Thank you," she said. Taking another moment to regain her composure, her demeanor returned to hardened, and she went further down the alley. The alley's end led to a small grassy courtyard where a stone gazebo sat in its center. Two people sat beneath its roof at a wooden table: a Dunmer and an Argonian. Both smoked from pipes and drank from a bottle of white wine.

"Be prepared," warned Zela as she approached the gazebo. The two took immediate notice of Zela and gave her confused looks. "Nice outfit," said the Argonian sarcastically.

"Ok, let us cut the _shit_," snapped Zela. "You know damn well why I am here."

The Argonian shrugged his shoulders. "Can not say that I _do_," he said. "Perhaps you mistake me for someone else."

"I mistake _no one_. We both have common occupations, and I wish to _enter_."

The Argonian looked to his friend. "Listen," said the Dunmer, "I do not know what you mean by 'enter,' but I think you two should be on your way."

"Listen, you two, I came here to enter, and I do not intend on leaving without doing so!"

The Dunmer sighed. "… Very well… Who stands at the gates of sin?" he asked. This had to be a riddle.

"One who has lived a life _of_," replied Zela.

The two looked to each other and gave affirming nods. "Correct," said the Argonian, "you may enter." The two then got up from their seats and shoved the table aside, revealing a trap door beneath it. As the Dunmer lifted the door open, he asked Zela, "What be your business here?"

"My business is my own," she replied. "The man behind me goes in as well."

With that, I followed Zela down the steps into the dark hidden room beneath.

o0o

The air in this dark place was stale and smelled of fear. At first, my eyes were not adjusted and so all I saw was black. Then, as they grew more accustomed to the dark, I saw figures appear around Zela and I. They were all dressed similarly to Zela: like thieves. All shared menacing faces, all directed toward me. I knew right away that I did not belong.

"Stand close and do not antagonize," warned Zela, and she led me through the underground complex. It was a series of corridors, all dimly lit by lanterns with blue flames. To think, the headquarters of the Thieves Guild was right beneath the Empire's feet all this time! As I followed Zela, the glares of the other thieves grew more and more intense. Thankfully though, none attacked.

Zela eventually led me to a large bolted door, guarded by two more thieves. When they saw Zela, they immediately opened the door for her and allowed us entry. This next room resembled the throne room of a castle with high ceiling, elaborately decorated walls, and a royal red and purple carpet that stretched across the entire floor. Against the wall to the left and right each stood three thieves who stood guard, all with flint lock rifles clutched in their hands. At the center of the room was, as the nature of this room would suggest, a throne, with a thick black curtain hung around it, blocking whoever sat atop the throne from view. Zela approached the throne and when she came within a few paces of it, she kneeled before it. I quickly did the same.

"Gray Fox," she said with her head bowed, "greatest of all thieves, I, a faithful servant of the Thieves Guild, have come before you with a request."

"… Who be this _other_ that comes before me?" said a smooth voice from behind the veil.

"He is… my husband," replied Zela. "I wished him to accompany me when I propose this request."

"… I see… And what request be that?"

Zela gave a deep sigh. "I wish… to permanently resign from the Thieves Guild."

An audible gasp came from the guards. I fully expected the "Gray Fox," as it were, to become angered at this statement. Instead, his voice remained calm. "…That… That voice," he muttered to himself, "it seems so… familiar… Arise, thief and stranger."

Zela and I stood back up and suddenly, the veil was pushed away, revealing the source behind the voice. It was an imposing man, clad head to toe in leather armor, a gray cowl over his head that covered his face, save his eyes, which were gray as well. Gray Fox steeped down from his throne and approached Zela. Without so much as a moment's hesitation, Gray Fox grabbed Zela by the chin and began to examine her face, as if he was appraising jewelry. After a moment of examination, a look of surprise came into Gray Fox's eyes.

"Zela?" he said, "Is- Is that you?"

How did he know her name?!

I watched as a bead of sweat fell down the back of Zela's neck. "Wha- How did you know my name?" asked Zela.

Gray Fox chuckled. "My my," he said, "has your memory already forgotten me… my love?"

Fear suddenly ripped through her eyes like a razor through flesh. Her face froze to ice, her breathing haulted, and her hands began to shake. "C- C- Corvus?" she stuttered.

"Indeed," he replied with a grin. "It has been a long time, my love, has it not? Remember those times, when we were together? Remember what joy we brought each other?"

"Zela!" I yelled, no longer able to contain my shock and anger, "Who is this person?!"

"… He," replied Zela, "and I… were once lovers, long before we ever met each other."

"Correct, my dear," said Gray Fox, "lovers we _were_." Gray Fox approached me. "_Now_, though, it seems that Zela has moved on to _another_. What be your name, stranger of white?"

"Zaden," I replied. "My name is Zaden."

"Zaden, is it?... You do not look like much of a thief to me… I have heard of _assassins _who wear white. _Are_ you an assassin?"

"No," I replied, "_I _am Nerevar Incarnate."

Gray Fox's head reared back in shock, then turned back to Zela, who looked more frightened than ever. "It seems that you have moved on _indeed_, Zela," he said, before he struck her across the face with a powerful slap, causing her to fall to the ground. "Was I not _good enough_ for you?!"

Bastard!

I unholstered one of my sidearms and aimed the barrels directly at Gray Fox's head. "Strike her again and your brain matter will paint this carpet," I threatened.

Suddenly, Zela raised her hand at me. "Stop!" she said. "Please, Zaden, do not interfear! I can handle this."

"But Zela-"

"Do as I say!" she commanded.

I do not like the idea of standing by and watching the ones I love get harmed. Unfortunately, it was not my place to interfere with Zela's ordeals (not now, anyway.) So, using all my strength and going against all my base instincts, I swallowed my pride, and my tongue.

Gray Fox acted like a jealous brute, rather than a refined thief. As Zela forced herself to her feet, he grabbed Zela by her hair and pulled upward. "After all I have done for you, Zela, all that I sacrificed, you reject me for _him_?" he said.

"He is more of a man," strained Zela, "then you have ever been. Besides, what have _you _ever sacrificed?"

Angered at that remark, Gray Fox slammed Zela head against the ground and pinned it to the floor. My heart sank as I watched, knowing all too well that any interference on my part could only exacerbate the situation.

"I would do well," said Gray Fox to Zela, "to mind your speech when you speak to me, given our _lovely_ past." Gray Fox lifted Zela once again by her long black hair. Blood began to drip from where Zela's head struck the floor. "Come now, Zela," said Gray Fox, "I am still willing to accept you back."

Zela pulled her head back what little she could, and when she sent it flying forward, a glob of spit went flying right into Gray Fox's right eye, causing him to finally release his grip of Zela's hair.

"You _bitch_!" he exclaimed.

"I did not come here," said Zela, "to rekindle what _little _magic remains of our past. I came here to resign from the Thieves Guild permanently."

Gray Fox just finished cleaning his eye out. "What why in Oblivion would I do _that_?!" he asked.

"In the time I _did _serve the guild, I never once betrayed our cause. I served faithfully and never failed a quest _once_."

"Ah, that you did," he said, "but as I remember, you disappeared shortly after the completion of your _last_ mission. I never did find out why that was... Now that you are here, would you care to explain yourself?"

"I… I accidentally killed a little girl," she replied. "The guilt I felt afterward… I could no longer continue thieving with that memory looming over me."

A confused look came upon Gray Fox. "That is all?" he carelessly asked. "That is no excuse! As long as the assignment was upheld, you should not worry yourself with such trivialities as that. Besides, she should have defended herself."

Zela clenched her fists. "She was a _little girl_! How was she to defend herself!"

"_That _is not my problem, my love. What _is _my problem is that _now_, I have a admitting traitor to our guild before me… and I now must decide her fate."

Gray Fox began to tauntingly pace back and forth as he contemplated his options. After many paces and a moment that hung forever, his decision was made. "Well, given our past, my love," Gray Fox said, "I suppose I can be lenient… _Death _shall be your punishment.

Guards," he announced to those who stood watch along the room's perimeter, "kill her with a bullet through the head. I wish her death to be quick and painless." His eyes returned to Zela, "I am sorry, my love, but this must be done, for the good of the Thieves Guild."

Not as long as I lived.

The guards took aim, but before the triggers could be pulled, I released from each hand a wave of fire that reached out to the walls to my left and right. The gunmen were instantly incinerated into black ash. With Gray Fox remaining, I unholstered both my sidearms and aimed at his head, pulling all four triggers, and releasing a hail of buckshot.

Miraculously, Gray Fox was able to dodge the hail, and he retaliated by slipping a trio of throwing knives from the loops of his belt and throwing them at me with incredible speed. I raised a magic shield before me so the knives would simply bounce off it, but somehow, they ripped through it, and all three sunk deep into my left leg. In an instant, I could no longer stand, and I fell to my left knee.

"Enchanted knives," Gray Fox taunted, "and they work like a charm."

Though my legs were unusable, I was not out of the fight. I raised my hand and released a fierce bolt of lightning at Gray Fox. Once again, with seemingly inhuman agility, he dodged the attack and, before I knew, he stood directly behind me. I turned around to fire another spell at him, only to find that he had stolen Blunderbuss and was now aiming the barrel directly at my forehead.

"Well now," he continued to taunt, "things seem much different on the _receiving _end, do they not? You put up quite the fight, Nerevar, but I am afraid that your legacy ends _here_. Fear not, though. Once I am finished with you, Zela's life will be ended quick and painlessl-"

Suddenly, a spray of blood flew into my eyes. Wiping it away, Gray Fox stood before me with the point of a Dwemer shortsword protruding through his throat. He gasped his final breaths before going limp. Once dead, the knife was dislodged from his neck and the body slumped to the floor, revealing Zela clutching the weapon.

She then spat on his corpse.

Slipping the sword back into its sheath, she bent down and helped dress my wounds. She began by removing the three knives from my leg, then quickly ripping cloth from her cloak and wrapping it tightly over the wounds. "Until we get back to Hui," she said, "this is the best I can offer. Are you all right, Zaden?" she asked.

The only words I could think to respond with were, "I love you."

Zela gave a awkward smile. "You are strange, my love. Can you walk?"

I nodded, and then began to rise to my feet. "So, he is dead," I said. "Does this mean that you are free of the guild now?"

"Not quite," Zela replied. "First, I must destroy the contract I have with the guild. Only then will my service be done. They should be here in this room."

Behind the curtain encased throne was a wall covered with drawers upon drawers upon drawers. "These drawers," said Zela, "hold all contracts that those of the guild have signed. We need only find it."

"But there are so many," I commented. "How will we ever find it?"

Without a moment's pause, she pointed to the very last drawer in the lowest row, a drawer with "Z" branded on its surface. Opening it, there was but one scroll within: Zela's. Her name was printed on the outside of it in her own blood.

I guess names beginning with "Z" _are _uncommon.

Retrieving it from the drawer, I released a burst of mana from my right arm and the scroll was burned to ash in an instant.

"It is done," said Zela with relief. "Now, we need only make our escape. That may prove to be difficult."

"Perhaps not," I said, "just give me a moment." Releasing another burst of mana, I reached out across the currents of mana and searched for Hui's life signs. It took me but a moment to find him. "_Hui_," I said telepathically, "_can you hear me? Can you get a location of my presence?_"

"_It is good to hear from you, Zaden_" said Hui. "_Has the deed been done? Is Zela free?_"

"_Indeed she is_," I replied. "_I need a quick getaway, though. Can you teleport us out of here?_"

"_Just a second… Got it!_" An instant later, Zela and I found ourselves in the lounge of our own home. Overcome with relief and fatigue, Zela fainted, but I was able to catch her.

Hui approached. "Is she injured?" he asked.

"She is fine," I replied, " she is just tired. I shall bring her up to our room." Carrying Zela like a bride through the threshold of a home, I carried her up the stairs and to our room, gently resting her on the soft bed. I looked at how peacefully she slept and my love for her grew even more. I bent down and kissed her on the forehead.

"I love you," I whispered.

"I know," she replied from her sleep.


	11. Bonds

Chapter 10: The Breaking and Formation of Bonds

Zela slept peacefully throughout the entire night. It was as if the weight of the world had been lifted off her shoulder and now, she had not a care in the world. The next morn, I awoke early and made her a large breakfast, presenting it to her in bed: eggs, bacon, freshly squeezed orange juice. I skimped over nothing.

When she awoke, we ate our breakfast in the peace and quiet of our room. Even though she would rather not think of it, my mind still had questions retaining to the night before. I wished to ask questions, but I feared that I would upset Zela.

"Zaden," said Zela, "what is with that look?" I was so lost in thought, my eyes seemed to stare off into nothingness. "You look as if in a trance. Is something the matter?"

"No," I quickly replied, "… Actually, yes, there is. I do not wish to upset you, but my mind lingers with questions of the previous night."

"Then ask them," said Zela.

"Well… With Gray Fox dead, who will be the next leader of the Thieves Guild?"

"The _next _Gray Fox, of course," replied Zela.

"But I thought-"

"'Gray Fox' is but a title for those who lead the Thieves Guild. When one dies, someone new is named Gray Fox. As for who that will be, it is hard to tell. Usually, the title is passed down to the next in command, but given the nature of his death, there could be some debate for a long while. The guild could be in disarray for a long period."

"What about you, Zela? If the Thieves Guild finds out that you killed Gray Fox, they may attempt retaliation!"

Zela slowly shook her head. "I think not," she said. "If the guild retaliated, it would be seen not as divine justice, but as more countless bloodshed. One murder would lead to another and another, and before they knew it, the number of guild thieves will be much _lower_. I believe the guild will cut their losses and continue to operate as they have."

"I see… So, does this mean that-?"

"We are free, Zaden," she said with a smile. "_I _am free… Do you know what this means, Zaden?"

I thought for a moment, thinking it a riddle, but my only result was to shrug my shoulders.

"It means," said Zela as she reached over and placed her hands atop of mine, "we can finally begin to raise a _family_."

My words stuttered from shock. "A- A family?!" I said with joy. "Are- Are you sure?"

Zela smiled and nodded. "Yes, my love," she replied. "With the Thieves Guild no longer a factor, we can now raise our children in a peaceful world. Of course, if you are not ready-"

"No, Zela, I _am _ready. I have been ready for nearly the last year. You are right, dear. The time _is_ right."

Zela smiled once more. "Glad to hear it."

o0o

One Month Later…

Our lives of adventure and travel were now but a distant memory. No longer were we concerned with the struggles of good and evil or the threat of a dark hand over the land. We lived as normal citizens of the Empire, a life we were way over-due to live. Now, our only concerns were where we were going to go for entertainment and what to do for fun the next day. We never thought past that day.

Our lives seemed that care free. After Zela cut connections with the Thieves Guild, we established a deal with the Blades. They agreed to send us a weekly sum of septums to help pay for expenses in our wealthy home. However, we were able to live well on nearly _half_ the amount they sent, meaning we had much to tuck away into our savings.

I wished for this lifestyle to last forever… or so I originally thought…

o0o

It seemed like it was to be another dull Sunday morn. It seemed like _every _Sunday was as such. Local pubs were all closed for the day, as was the Arena. I believe it was considered in the monotheistic religion of the Imperials a "Sabbath" day, a day of rest. I saw it a nothing more than a bother.

Zela, Hui, Varon, and I passed the late morn hours away in the lounge. Hui sat across from me with his legs crossed, in a sort of meditative state. Varon, who liked to sleep in, was doing just that in his room upstairs. Zela and I sat together in a two person couch, each of us reading our own newspaper. Both were the same: The Black Horse Courier. I took a peak to Zela's paper, only to find that we were reading the same page.

Two newspapers, same story.

If I knew marriage would be this dull, I would have dated for the rest of my life.

I sighed from the boredom. "What is there to do?" I quietly muttered to myself. "Perhaps we could visit Jiub?"

"Jiub," said Hui from his meditation, "is participating in a service at a local Dunmer church. He will be quite occupied until the evening. After which, I do not think he will be willing to go anywhere else but bed."

"Damn," I muttered. "I need to do _something _to break this monotony." I looked to Hui. "Hui, you have nothing planned today, yes?" I asked.

Hui slowly shook his head. "Not a thing," he replied with eyes closed.

"Let us take our horses out for a ride then."

"Where to?" he asked.

"Nowhere in particular. Perhaps once around the perimeter of the Imperial City? Just to get some fresh air?"

"Hmmm…" he thought. "I think I will pass on that, Zaden. Sorry."

Damn it.

Just then, creaking floorboards sounded above, then down the stairs. Varon has finally risen from his slumber. Still dressed in his night clothes, Varon appeared sleepy eyed at the foot of the stairs.

"Ah," I said, "the princess has awoken!" I joked.

"Ha ha," Varon replied sarcastically, "you are truly hilarious, Zaden."

"Varon, you should learn to wake up earlier," I suggested.

"Why?" he asked back. "It would seem that I am not missing out on much in these early hours. You three seem to be stagnating in your chairs."

He had us there.

Varon poured himself a cup of coffee and walked over to the lounge to join us. However, when he came within ten feet of steeping into the lounge, he suddenly stopped. "Hold a moment," Varon said. "I feel something is… out of place."

"How so?" I asked.

"It seems that I feel… one, two, three… _four_ heartbeats in this room. I sense Hui, Zaden, and Zela's heart, but the forth feels… faint."

Varon placed his cup down on a small wooden table and began to slowly creep into the lounge. He was listening intensely, feeling out the location of this mystery heartbeat. He inched ever forward toward the center of the lounge, where he halted and listened more so. Then, his gaze turned to Zela. He slowly approached her and, bending down onto his knees, reached out, and placed his hand upon her stomach.

"Varon," I said, "what in Oblivion are you-?"

"This is it!" said Varon. "This is the source of the heartbeat."

Zela's eyes suddenly shot open to the size of silver coins. "Are- Are you certain?" she asked.

Varon nodded as he returned to his feet. "Without a doubt," he replied.

For a brief moment, the room stood still, unsure of what to do next. It was silent: the "library in the center of Nirn" metaphor applied here as well. Without truly thinking, I thought aloud "What does this mean then?"

Zela shot up from her seat. "Is it not obvious, Zaden," she asked me. "It means that I am pregnant!"

My shock was so great, it took me a full ten seconds to comprehend. "Pregnant?" I said aloud. "Zela… This is wonderful!"

Pleased as well, Zela wrapped her arms around my waist and rested her head upon my shoulder. "I am so excited!" she exclaimed. "This means that we are finally a family! We can finally lives the lives we wanted to live for-"

Though Zela was not aware of it, as she spoke, there came a knock at the door, which Varon got up to answer. A few moments later, he returned to the den. "Zaden," he said, "I do apologize for interrupting this moment, but there is someone here who wishes to speak with you."

"Varon, can it wait?" I asked.

"No, it cannot. In fact, she has already let herself in." Then, from behind Varon walked none other than Perennia with two Blade soldiers as her escort. She had changed much since our last encounter nearly two and a half months ago.

In our last encounter, she seemed nothing more than a frail little girl who was thrust into an unfamiliar situation. Today, however, she stood before me with much more confidence. While she still wore a gray robe of similar design, she had no longer the figure of a tree. Her figure was that of a now budding young woman. Her long, red hair was now cut shorter, about shoulder's length. She still bore the glass dual broadswords on her waist.

With hands folded behind her back, she greeted each of us with a bow. "Nice to see you all again," she said. She spoke with such confidence, I began to wonder if the same Perennia from before stood before me.

"Nice to see you as well," I said. "You have grown up since our last meeting."

Perennia blushed ever so slightly but all she could to contain it. "Yes, well, Zaden, I have come before you with an important matter.

This morn, within the White Gold Tower, a meeting with all heads of guilds and factions was held. There, they discussed the events of previous days: the assassination of the former Emperor, the occurrence of the Oblivion gates, and what to do in response to all of this. When the meeting came to a close, a unanimous decision was cast.

As you are aware, Nerevar, the assassination of the former Emperor was carried out by members of the Mythic Dawn cult, a religious group that worships Mehrunes Dagon, the daedric prince of destruction. Until now, the purpose of doing so was a mystery to all. However, we have come to know the truth: the Septim bloodline holds a sacred covenant. This covenant holds a barrier between this mortal realm and the realms of Oblivion. Martin has not officially been declared the new Emperor so, as of now, the covenant is broken. This is how the Oblivion gates were able to open in this realm and the servants of Mehrunes Dagon were able to invade."

"Why?" I asked. "Why are they invading this realm?"

"Simply because Mehrunes Dagon wishes to possess it. It is not our place as mortals to question _why _they do such things. However, it does not mean that we cannot stop it."

"Well what can be done to stop this?" I asked.

"We determined that the only one that can bring an end to this is the Emperor himself. With the power of the Amulet of Kings, he can stop Mehrunes Dagon from achieving his conquest. Unfortunately, there are two complications: the Amulet of Kings is currently in possession of the enemy and Martin is currently not with us. We will need to take the amulet back from the clutches of Mehrunes Dagon's minions, then locate Martin, who is currently residing in Anvil.

I come before you so that I may ask for your assistance. I have assembled a fellowship that will travel North to retrieve the Amulet and find Martin."

"Great," I thought to myself. "Just when I thought that I was rid of such troubles, they seem to rise up and return my life back to struggle."

"I am humbled that you would call upon my aid, Perennia," I said. "However… It is just… I have a family now, you see. Not a few moments ago, we discovered that Zela is with _child_."

Perennia looked to Zela. "This be true?" she asked her. Zela nodded in reply.

"I know what you ask of me is great, but I do not wish to leave my wife's side during these times-"

Perennia suddenly raised her hand to my face, as if to say "stop talking." "Say no more," she said with a smile. "I merely came here to _ask _for your assistance in this matter, not to _force _it upon you. If it is your wish to refuse, I shall take no offence."

I was shocked. In previous moments such as this, the choice was never mine, but now… the decision _was_ mine! It felt strange, really, to not be bound by prophesy or fate. I wondered if _all_ felt this free, free to live how they pleased…

"Well then," said Perennia, "if your mind is made up in this matter, I shall take my leave."

"It is," I said. "I am sorry I cannot aid you in your travels, Perennia."

"Worry not," she assured me. "As I have said, I have an entire team to protect me. I am sure they will perform well in your absence. I must take my leave now, Nerevar. My party leaves at high noon from Weye." She gave a final bow and left through the front door.

My body seemed frozen from the shock. I, for what seemed like the first time, took charge of my own life! To most, this is nothing spectacular, but for someone such as I, who has followed the will of infallible gods, this was a new experience. In fact, I knew not how to feel.

I looked back to the others. "Umm… Is that ok?" I asked.

"Is that okay?!" asked Hui rhetorically. "That may have been one of the best decisions you have ever made!" he half jokingly said.

I looked to Zela for her response to this event. She smiled.

Suddenly, a strange feeling overcame. My body became weak, as if it was being drained of energy. My legs gave out from beneath me and I fell to the floor. The last thing I heard before I slipped into unconsciousness was Zela exclaiming "Zaden, are you all ri-?"

o0o

When I awoke, I was no longer in the den of my home. I now found myself in what seemed to me the center of a lavender cloud, much like when… _Azura _spoke to me when I defeated Dagoth Ur. For the first time, I feared Her arrival.

Sure enough, though, She appeared before me through the purple haze. With a perpetual smile upon Her face, she spoke to me. "Nerevar," She said, "there is something that must be told. It regards Perennia."

"What of her?" I asked. "She came before me, asking for aid, but I respectfully declined."

"Ah, but in _that_ lies the problem… Nerevar, you _must _join her in her travels."

"Why?!" I snapped back in aggravation. "She did not _plead_ for me! Why should I come to her aid now?!"

"You must be there to protect her, Nerevar. If you are not there to shield her, she _will_ die. If she dies, Martin will die, and if _he_ dies, there will be nothing to stop the opening of Oblivion gates, and Mehrunes Dagon will succeed in his conquest of Tamriel.

Now you see… your destiny is intertwined with hers."

"DESTINY?!" I screamed. "_My _destiny ended with the death of Dagoth Ur. You can no longer ask of me _anything_!"

"If you do not do this, Nirn will fall, and thus will trigger a series of events that will bring about the end of all existence. I am sorry to bring this upon you, but-"

"Sorry?! What would _you _know of sympathy?! For the first time for as far back as I can remember, I have had _free will_, something my destiny stripped from me! Now you wish to bind me once more with such shackles?!"

"You must do what needs to be done, Nerevar," She advised me.

"And what if I refuse?" I growled.

"… Then the blood of the world will stain your soul for all eternity."

o0o

I awakened. I found myself in the bed of my home. I turned my head to the left and right to see the sight of Hui, Varon, and Zela sitting beside the bed, awaiting my return from slumber. As I sat up from the bed, Zela placed the back of her hand upon my forehead to check my temperature.

"Are you feeling ok?" she asked me. "Are you feeling ill?"

"You dropped like a fly," commented Hui. "What happened?"

Now, a new dread filled my heart. How was I to reveal the news to the others? How was I to reveal this to _Zela_? She was looking ever so forward to living a normal life with me. Now it seemed that such an existence was, once again, far from reach.

"I was contacted," I said at length, "by Azura." The room suddenly became cold. "She said that… I need to protect Perennia on her travels."

"B- But why?" Zela asked in despair. "Did you not tell Azura that Perennia accepted your refusal?"

"Azura said that if I am not there to protect her… she will die, and with it, any chance of stopping the threat of Mehrunes Dagon. I am sorry… but I must leave you all."

Rather than being accepting, Zela became (understandably) furious. With a slam of her fist against the headboard of the bed, she spoke with hissing anger. "NO!" she exclaimed. "Not again! I refuse you to leave, Zaden. I will not risk losing you again."

I stood up from the bed. "I am sorry, Zela, my love, but it is Her will."

Suddenly, Zela shot up from the bed as well, and I felt the sting of her hand striking my face. "So, is that how it will be?!" she asked. "You will abandon me once again for Her?! What of all we promised each other? Did you not promise to never leave my side ever again?"

"Zela, this is not easy for me to do this to you," I said, "but it _must _be done, for all of Tamriel!"

"… Fine then," she spat in fury. "If you will abandon me, Zaden… Do not return." Then, in one swift moment, Zela ripped the wedding ring from her finger and threw it across the room, then slowly walked out of the room. I attempted to stop her, before I could, Hui had already grabbed me by the throat.

"What in Oblivion do you think you are doing?!" he hissed through his teeth. "Is it your intent to break Zela's heart?!" Hui tightened his grip, making breathing increasingly difficult.

"It is the will of Azura!" I strained. "I _must_ obey her command."

Hui loosened his grip only slightly. "And why are you so ready to carry out Her will?" Hui asked. "Why are you so ready to abandon Zela?"

"I do not wish to abandon her, Hui. I am a servant of Her, and I am bound to Her service."

At length, Hui relinquished his grip from my neck. "This is not right," he said to me. "I sense something is amiss here, Zaden. I cannot quite put my finger on it, but something about this situation does not feel right."

"I know, Hui," I said. "I feel the same way… but it is the will of a God… and I must adhere to it."

Hui, who suddenly seemed to give up arguing with me, gave a relenting sigh. "Very well, Zaden, go if you _must_. However, there are two things I must say.

First off, I want you to keep your mind and thoughts open. The fact that Azura has played a role in this situation, a situation that should have ended with your refusal to join Perennia's group, is unsettling. Though I cannot fully understand why, I feel that there is more behind Azura's intentions rather than 'Protect Perennia.'

Secondly… I will _not_ join you in this journey."

"What?" I exclaimed. "But why?"

"Zaden, I once promised you that if you did not survive your encounter with Dagoth Ur, I would stay by Zela's side. I shall uphold that promise _still_. In your absence, I will keep her safe."

"… I understand, Hui," I said. I turned to Varon who had been standing silently along the edge of the room. "I suppose you will not join me as well, Varon?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Sorry, Zaden," Varon said.

So… this was it. I was now alone in this world. Zela has left me… my friends staying by her side… I no longer had those I could call allies. Without uttering another word, I quietly packed my supplies, armed myself of my weapons, and left the Imperial City and all those I cared for behind me.

It was a long and lonely ride across the stone bridge to Weye…

o0o

As I rode into Weye, I noticed a certain commotion about the tiny village that was absent the previous time I was there. It was not long until I was able to locate Perennia. She stood beside her paint horse. She was clad in leather armor (crafted to resemble its Imperial steel counterpart), the dual broadswords scabbard to her back. About a few yards away was a large, oak tree with a circle of people sitting beneath its shade.

As I approached, she heard the trotting of Apoc's hooves and she turned.

"Ah, Zaden," she said, "glad to see you changed your mind!"

I dismounted Apoc without giving her as much as a look. The hate I held to her was so great at that moment, I feared that I would uncontrollably strangle her if our eyes were to meet.

"Is something the matter?" Perennia asked. "Speak!"

"… Do you have any idea," I finally said at length as I turned to face her, "of the devastation your have brought upon my life with your visit?! Your order for me upset Zela so much… she left me."

"Zela left you?!" asked Perennia with surprise. "For what reason?"

"It was because I left her to join with your damn journey!"

She was now set in an awkward position, as her voice now showed. "I- I am sorry to hear this… but… As I recall, I did not _force _you to join me, Zaden. The choice was yours and yours alone, yet you seem to put this to blame upon _me_."

"Well," I replied, "it quickly did not become my choice to refuse your offer… Shortly after you left… Azura spoke to me."

"Azura?" Perennia exclaimed. "_The _Azura? What did she say?"

"She said that our fates were intertwined. She said that if I did not join your journey…" _Perennia would die_. "… Well, She commanded me to join at any rate, and that was reason enough."

"… I see," said Perennia. "Well, it would seem that it is not _I _that your anger should be directed toward, but rather, Azura"

"Nonsense!" I shot back. "I have Azura to thank for all that my life has given me. Why would I even express discontent toward Her?"

"Well, Zaden, Gods have been known to make mistakes…"

Gods can make mistakes…

No, it could not be so. Azura has blessed me with so much. I am Her most trusted servant. For what reason would She bring this travesty upon me…?

"Well then," said Perennia, "now that you have arrived, Nerevar, my group is complete. Come, please. I shall introduce you to the rest of the company." With that, Perennia lead me to beneath the oak tree, to the circle of three people who sat beneath it. "Everyone," she announced, "our final member has arrived."

With that, the three stood up at once.

The first was a pretty young woman who, at first glance, appeared Imperial (her skin, anyways.) However, when I took a closer look, she had features of a Dunmer (namely the long, pointed ears and the blood red eyes.) Her strait blonde hair was cut short enough to barely graze her shoulders. She wore a chain mail shirt over a pine green tunic, wore brown leather bracers on her forearms, leather gloves (with the fingers cut off), and leather leggings. On her back was an ivory quiver which held many arrows, along with a longbow of yew wood. On her waist was sheathed a simple scimitar.

The elf(?) reached out with her slender arm and held out her hand. "Greetings, Nerevar," she said with a pleasing voice. "You may call me Raven."

I shook her hand. "A pleasure, I am sure," I replied.

The second that stood was a mountain of a man (or, in this case, Orc). His stature was like that of a High Elf (which is to say about seven feet). His thick, knotted muscles were unlike anything I had ever witnessed. His head was adorned with a single warrior's ponytail. Two huge, tusk like teeth poked up from his lower jaw and over his upper lip, making his appearance ever the more intimidating. The Orc was clad in a full set (save the helm, which he held in his left hand) of (would you guess?) _Orcish_ armor, an armor of a tarnished silver color and bulky (but strong) in appearance.

I held my hand out before the Orc. "What be your name?" I asked.

The Orc gave a toothy grim (the only kind he _could _give) and grabbed my hand. The strength of his grip was so immense, I could hear my finger bones crack. "Garothmuk," he replied in a booming, baritone voice. "I hope to kill many foes with you, Nerevar." It took everything in my power to stop me from screaming in pain.

When the Orc finally released his deadly grip, I stood before the third and final member of the group. This last one… seemed _very _familiar. His appearance was too similar to that of the one I fought in Moonshadow: he wore an unworldly black robe. He wore the hood over his head so the resulting shadow blocked his face from view.

I cautiously held out my hand. "What be _your_ name, stranger," I asked him.

His voice was like a snake: slow, smooth, and eerie. "… I have gone by many names over the many years… I currently go by the name of Razerotamael… but you, Nerevar, may call me 'Assassin,' given our past…"

"… Have we met before?" I slowly asked.

Assassin gave a slight chuckle. "Have you forgotten?" He then lifted the hood from his head, finally revealing his face. His appearance was Dunmer… apart from the haunting purple eyes. "You killed me, remember?"

The same eyes of the assassin from the Tree of Dawn!

My instinct quickly took control of my body. Yanking Blunderbuss from its scabbard by its butt, I swung at the assassin with its bayonet, leaving a gash across his left cheek. I then quickly delivered a kick to his chest, causing him to fall to the ground. Bring the gun quickly to aim, I came within an inch of firing a shot square into his face.

However, before such an act was committed, an arrow came streaking in from my left and struck Blunderbuss with enough force to knock it from my hand. I turned to the arrow's source, to Raven, and exclaimed "What in Oblivion-?" I cut myself short when I realized that she had already drawn another arrow in her bow and was aiming it at _me_.

Suddenly, I felt the poke of dual broadswords at my back. "Move not another inch," demanded Perennia. "Why did you attack him? He has brought no harm upon you!"

"But Perennia," I said, "he is an assassin! He once attempted to kill me at the Tree of Dawn!"

"I know, Zaden."

"What?! Then why do you defend him?!"

"Because he is not as he previously was," replied Perennia. "He has not come to kill you, Zaden. He has come to protect _me_."

I turned back to the assassin, who was still on the ground, clutching the wound on his left cheek. "Be this true, Assassin?" I asked him as I slipped Blunderbuss back into its scabbard.

The daedra smiled. "Indeed it is," he replied as he rose to his feet. "Please, allow me to explain.

Those many months ago, when you killed me beneath the Tree of Dawn, my soul went before my master for punishment."

"Dagoth Ur?" I asked.

"No," he replied with a shake of his head. "If you recall our last encounter, I mentioned that he and another, Mehrunes Dagon, as it were, had struck a deal. If _I_, one of Dagon's most powerful assassins, disposed of _you_, Nerevar, and if Dagoth Ur succeeded in his plans for conquest, Mehrunes would have a share in Dagoth Ur's spoils of victory. However, when you killed me, I went before Mehrunes Dagon for punishment.

He was unmerciful… as I expected.

He sentenced my soul to forever exist in a void between the planes of Oblivion… Such was a terrible place. It was devoid of all light, sound, and all senses. It was a hell that I would never wish upon _anyone_.

It was there I stayed for about a year (thought it seemed an eternity)… until a voice spoke out to me. I had never heard the voice before, but I instantly knew it to be divine… the voice of Azura."

"Azura?!" I snarled. "And what did she say to you?"

"She offered me a chance to take revenge against the one who imprisoned me: Mehrunes Dagon. She said that if I were to exact revenge, I would first need to aid the one I was originally sent to kill: you.

I accepted.

With the parting words of 'Seek Perennia,' I was thrust back into the mortal realm. Azura had not only given me my body back, but also gifted me with astounding mage abilities."

"And what gifts be those?" I asked.

"Perhaps at a later time, Nerevar, I shall tell you. Anyway… I found myself in the middle of a desolate dirt road, somewhere in the wilderness. As luck would have it, a traveling group passed by not a moment later: Perennia's group. It already consisted of all the other members."

Perennia gave a small chuckle. "When we found him," she said, "he instantly threw himself to his knees before us and vowed his servitude to our fellowship. At first, we thought it a trap, but as the more he pleaded, the more we began to believe him. Eventually, we relented, and allowed him into our group.

Well… Since all six of us are now here, we can head off."

Six?

"Um, Perennia," I said, "there are only five of us h-"

Just then, I heard a noise from the branches above and a figure fell behind me from the foliage. Thinking it an enemy, I unholstered one of my sidearms and spun around, aiming at the first thing I saw.

It was a Khajiit, clad in leather armor similar to the type Zela wore when she confronted Gray Fox. In the many loops on his belt were nestled throwing knives and throwing needles. The Khajiits fur was short and sand colored, making him seem streamline in appearance (his lack of mane did so as well.)

Even as I had my gun pointed directly at his forehead, the Khajiit maintained immense composure. "Khajiit would not do that," he said, "if Khajiit were in Nerevar's position." Such was the dialect of most Khajiits. They often referred to others and themselves in the third person (unless they were good friends.)

"Perennia," I said, not allowing my eyes to leave the Khajiit, "this be the sixth?"

"Yes," she replied. "He has yet to reveal his true name, so we have been calling him by 'Khajiit.'"

"I see," I said as I holstered my gun and turned back to the Khajiit. "Well, judging from your appearance, is it safe to assume that you are a _thief_?" I asked.

"_Former _thief," he snarled in reply. "Khajiit was once thief until you and Dunmer female _destroyed_ guild. Now Khajiit has nowhere to go but to aid Perennia." With that, the Khajiit walked past, making sure to shove me with his shoulder as he did.

After watching that little display between the Khajiit and I, Perennia was now in a somewhat awkward position. "W- Well then," her voice cracked, "if we are all prepared, we can head off now…

The first thing we should do is retrieve the Amulet of Kings. We know, unfortunately, that Mehrunes Dagon's daedra are currently in possession of it and have taken it through an Oblivion gate to the Deadlands. Also, unfortunately, we do not know _which_ gate the amulet is behind?"

"So what does Perennia suggest?" asked the Khajiit. "Send on wild goose chase into every gate we come across? I hear many gates in Cyrodiil… We could not survive search of every one."

"However," interrupted Perennia, "it _is _know that the gate the amulet was taken through lies somewhere West of the Imperial City, near the trail that leads to Anvil, _exactly_ where we are headed."

"Hmm. Seems convenient. Too convenient."

"Well, whether it is of your convenience or not, thief, these _are _the facts. Now, if there is nothing else to be said, let us head off!"

With that, we followed Perennia to the nearby stable where the others had their horses hitched. The archer had a chocolate brown horse with sand colored mane and tail, the Orc had a giant gray horse (which I was surprised could carry the Orc), and the assassin had a horse with deep black hair, mane, and tail.

"What of the Khajiit?" I asked aloud. "Has he a horse?"

The Khajiit shook his head. "Khajiit not ride lesser beast," he said. "When arrive in woods, Khajiit will take to trees, keep high above others, keep watch."

We all mounted our horses at once and we set off on the trail that led South. When we reached the edge of the forests to our right, the Khajiit, with amazing speed and agility, leapt into the branches of the trees. He followed the horses as they trotted along, hopping from tree to tree.

"Is this how he will travel the entirety of our journey?" I ask aloud to myself.

"Perhaps," answered Assassin, how had somehow rode up beside me without my knowing. I nearly jumped from my horse from the fright.

"Damn it, Assassin," I said, "do not scare me like that!"

"I apologize, Nerevar," he said. "I assumed you knew I was there… Nerevar, my I have a word with you… in private?"

"Umm… I suppose so, but we travel in a group. How will it be private?"

"Slow down your speed slightly and back away from the group, just enough so we are out of their earshot." So we did, pulling away from the main group by about ten yards. "Nerevar," Assassin continued, "there is a truth that I must confess to you… My orders from Azura were actually not to protect Perennia."

"They were not?" I asked. "If that is the case, they why did you join her group?"

"I joined her in order to get close to _you_, Nerevar. _You _are the one Azura ordered me to protect."

"Me? But why? For what reason?"

"I know not," he replied. "I know not Azura's intentions… What do you make of them?"

"… Well, Assassin, currently, I do not regard Her with as much praise as I formally did."

"How so?"

"When I still lived in Vvardenfell, when Azura first came before me and told me of the prophesy of slaying Dagoth Ur, She seemed… like someone that could never do wrong, a pure soul. Then, many months after completing the Nerevarine Prophesy, Azura called upon me once again to vanquish an evil spirit that threatened to destroy Her realm of Moonshadow. When the foe was defeated… She attempted to thank me… with Her body."

"Her body?!" Assassin exclaimed.

"Quite!" I whispered. "You want the other to hear?!" I looked back to the others. Thankfully, they did not hear Assassin's outburst.

"Sorry, Nerevar… Continue."

"Needless to say, after that moment, my relationship to Azura was strained. The _today_, after Perennia offered me to join this fellowship and after I refused, Azura contacted me once more. She said that I _must_ join this group in order to protect Perennia."

"Otherwise…?" asked Assassin.

"… She dies," I replied.

Assassin lowered his head. "I see."

With a sigh, I rose my head up toward the cloudy sky above. "It is just," I said, "for that first time, ever since the fulfillment of the Nerevarine Prophesy, I felt as if I had a choice in my life, only to have it ripped from me by Azura! I _want _ to be angry at Her… but She is a god! How can I defy a god?

These thoughts are what rack my brain at this very moment."

Assassin gave a thoughtful hum to himself. "I do not know what to think of this, Nerevar," Assassin replied. "I have Azura to thank for both my life and new abilities, so it is also hard for me to not think of Azura in high esteem. Perhaps, Nerevar, the answer you seek will make its appearance along our journey."

"I can only hope…" I sighed.

* * *

**[Author's Notes]: Well _that_ was a hell of a chapter, was it not? Just when Zaden feels his life will become one of peace, the words of Azura rip him from it. He cannot seem to catch a break, can he?**

**Also, huzzah for the returning character!**


	12. The Fellowship

Chapter 11: The Fellowship

The road traveled along the edge of Lake Rumare, always in sight of the Imperial City. The city seems to taunt me. It was like a precious gem that was in full view but I was not allowed to touch. How I wished to be there…

When the path reached the southwestern corner of the lake, it branched off into two: one continuing around the lake, the other heading directly west. We took the latter. With that right, the foliage about us turned from sparsely clustered trees to a thick forest, consisting of both tall pines, oak trees, and others whose name escapes me. The trees that stood along the very edge of the road reached their branches outward, creating a canopy over our head. It protected us from the sun rather well.

We followed the road nearly nonstop, only taking brief breaks to allow our horses to rest. It was only during this time that the Khajiit emerged from the trees. If there was a source of water nearby, be it a lake or river, he would drink from its edge (much like a real cat would) then return to the trees once more.

As the sun set in the West, its bright rays of light would shine directly in our face, making travel more difficult. When the sun touched the horizon, we agreed that _then_ would be as good a time as any to make camp for the night. We travelled about three hundred yards into the forest before we made out camp. This way, those who were merely passing along the trail would not easily spot us.

As the night grew dark, a fire was struck. A pot was suspended above the flames and soon, a simple stew cook within it. Perennia, Garothmuk, Raven, Assassin and I warmed ourselves by the flames and ate in the silence the forest gave us. The Khajiit, however, stuck to the trees (for reason we could only speculate on.)

Eventually, though, Perennia decided to put an end to this behavior. "Khajiit!" she said with her head pointed to the foliage canopy above. "Please, come down and join us."

The Khajiits voice emanated from the darkness, as if the forest _itself_ was speaking to us. "Khajiit stay above all," he replied, "keep watch."

"Yes yes, that is all well and good, but we are not currently traveling. Please, join us in dinner."

It was a few moments until the Khajiit fell from the trees and landed on his feet. In an almost defeated manner, he took a seat to my right near the fire. Raven reached over and handed him a bowl of the stew, which he immediately began to noisily lap up with his tongue.

It was at this moment that Perennia decided upon attempting to bring the team together. "Well now," she said, "I think we should all tell each other of ourselves. I believe it is important that members of a team, group, or squad get to know each other on a personal level in order to more effectively work together."

I prayed she was joking. Unfortunately, she was not. "Perennia," I said, "I do not wish to question your wisdom, but we are all merely servants to you." It pained me to admit that. "I do not think it necessary to do such a thing."

"Oh pish posh, Nerevar." Pish posh? "I think it a good idea… let us start with you, Raven. Please, tell us of yourself."

Raven cleared her throat. "Well, Perennia," she said, "where may I start?"

"Anywhere you see fit," she replied.

"Very well… Well, I suppose I can begin by clarifying my appearance. I took notice that Nerevar seemed the more intrigued by that. To clarify, my father was Dunmer and my mother was Imperial. I inherited her skin while I inherited _his_ ears and eye color.

My father was a master archer for the Imperial legion. For many years was he under their service. When his declared his servitude over, he took to the wilderness and lived off the land. One day, when passing through a small hamlet in Cyrodiil, he entered a shop and set eyes upon who would be my mother. They tell me that they fell instantly in love and got married within a few months of their initial meeting.

I grew up with the teachings of my father. He taught me everything there was to know about wielding a bow. Call it inherited skill, but I quickly mastered the art of archery, much to the amusement of my father. I helped out my mother and father run their shop, which sold mostly groceries and basic supplies.

When I turned eighteen years of age, I left home in search of a new life. It was not long before I joined the ranks of the Blades. My mastery of the bow and arrow was looked upon by my superiors with great enthusiasm. My rise in the ranks was a quick and steady climb. Then, when the opportunity to join the company of the Savior of Kvatch arose, it was without a doubt in my mind that there was where I wanted to be."

The Orc gave a slight nod. "How good are your skills with a bow and arrow?" Garothmuk asked.

Raven thought for a short moment. "Well," she replied, "I suppose my most skillful shot was about my second year into my service of the Blades. My target, a bandit, was located about one hundred yards away and situated in a deep chasm. I remember the winds were both and strong and temperamental that day. Taking aim high into the sky and toward the wind, the arrow soared through the air and was carried by the wind. When the arrow plummeted toward the ground, its point struck directly in his neck, slicing his jugular."

"Damn," exclaimed the Orc. "Well, while that _is_ an impressive shot, half of its success stems from luck. It seems that you could have easily _missed_."

"Be that as it may, Orc," said Raven, "the shot hit home none the less. Anyway, what of _you_, Garothmuk? Have _you_ any stories of glory?"

Though Raven's tone was one of joking taunt, Garothmuk's was one that was in stark contrast to hers. His tone could not be any more serious. "No," he replied. "My story is not one of success and luck. My story… is of revenge."

"Toward whom?" asked Perennia.

"… I was born in Orsinium, the city-state of the Orcs, located in the providence of High Rock. To this day, we Orcs fight a seemingly never war with the Bretons for independence from the providence. Because of the political unrest of Orsinium, _civil_ unrest is rampant. Many wandering tribes of Orc bandits go from village to village, plundering and pillaging as thay see fit, free from the rule of any _law_.

It is from such lawlessness that _I_ came into existence.

I was birthed on a nameless hamlet, far from the city of Wayrest. A horde of Orc bandits one day raided the hamlet and nearly raised the village to the ground. It was during that raid… that the woman that would be my mother was raped by the horde's leader.

Nine months later… ta-da.

I was raised in the wreckage that was once a thriving village. Lack of contact from neighboring villages made sure that the rebuilding of the village was a slow and seemingly hopeless process. Existing in such conditions was a daily struggle that would bring about a miserable death to most. I fact… it was exactly _that_ that lead to my mother taking her own life when I was but ten years old.

When I was about twelve years of age, salvation came to the village in the form of a wandering group of Imperial soldiers. As well as giving aid, they revealed to me just who _exactly_ was responsible for the destruction of my village and the death of my mother: a bandit clan who went be the name of "Black Claw."

It was that day that I both swore my allegiance to the Blades and my vow to one day slaughter _all_ of Black Claw, to take vengeance against them. I trained every single day with the Blades, vowing to become strong enough to take on those I strived to kill. When I reached the age of twenty five, I learned of the Black Claw's location.

I tracked the down and, in the middle of the night, I slaughtered every single bandit I set my eyes upon. I bathed in their blood, relishing every limb I separated from its body, every head to cleaved, and every heart I impaled. I was only satisfied when _none_ were left alive."

A chilling silence gripped those who sat around the campfire. After hearing such a tragic and gory tale, all seemed fearful to ask anything to the Orc. Eventually though, at _great_ length, Assassin broke the silence by asking Garothmuk "How is it that you came to the servitude of Perennia?"

The Orc's reply was nothing but blunt. "I had nothing better to do," he flatly replied.

Again, silence struck the group. The only one who dared to speak was the fire, which only dared to hiss.

At even greater length, Perennia spoke. "… Assassin," she said, desperate to shift the conversations to a more pleasing tone, "you are next."

Assassin shrugged his shoulders. "I suppose I can give an account of _some _of my life's events… However, I do not think that you would wish to hear a 'life story.'"

"And why is that?" asked Perennia.

"You forget, little lady, that I have existed since nearly the beginning of _existence_. It was only after the creation of the Daedric Princes that _I_ came into existence. I have been alive longer that most would think to imagine. I have lived to watch some of the most pivotal moments of Nirn's history.

_This_ might interest you, Nerevar: I was there to witness the cleansing of the Dwemer."

"Were you?!" I asked. "Tell me, please, what you saw!"

"It was a short occurrence. As you know, it was the act of creating Akulakhan that brought about their demise. Only a short time after they harnessed the power of the Heart of Lorkhan and brought Akulakhan to life did the extinction occur. It all happened in a blinding flash of light. When the light dimmed, all that was left of the Dwemer were their tools, their creations, and piles of ashes that were once Dwemer."

"Assassin," I said, "you said earlier that Azura gifted you with new abilities and powers. What powers be they?"

"… Tell me, Nerevar, what do you know of 'indoctrination?'"

"Indoctrination?" I repeated. "That is the act of influencing thoughts and control to the mind of another. An acquaintance of mine, Saint Jiub, is able to indoctrinate the minds of lesser beasts. However, his power is limited to just that. It is daedra and humans that are out of his reach."

"That so?" Assassin asked. "Well… I _can_ indoctrinate the minds of humans."

"Impossible!" I exclaimed.

"Not for _I_," he replied. "Albeit the minds of humans are more difficult to indoctrinate than that of beasts, but I _can_ successfully influence Imperial, Elven, Orc, Khajiit, and the minds of other equivalent beings. However, if my powers extend to the minds of daedra is _also_ unknown to me.

Also, in addition to Indoctrination, I possess powers of levitation, telemetry, and the summoning of shields. Sorry to say, but I do not possess 'offensive spells,' per say, but you will find my skills will be more than helpful in our journey."

Perennia smiled. "I am sure they will, Assassin," she affirmed him.

"… Actually," continued Assassin, "if it is not too much of a problem, I would prefer that I be referred to by another name apart from 'Assassin.'"

"Well," said Perennia, "what name would you prefer?"

Assassin looked into the fire and began to contemplate a name. After a few long and silent moments, he lifted his eyes from the flames and replied, "Sin."

"Sin?" asked Raven. "Why Sin? Short for 'Assassin?'"

"Well, I suppose," he replied, "but I was _really_ referring to my past… how I sinned against you, Nerevar, by attempting to take your life."

I knew not how to think. "Umm… thank you?" I said. I was not even sure if such words were the right ones to say.

Sin nodded, and then slowly turned head toward the Khajiit, who had just finished lapping up the last of his meal. "It would seem," said Sin, "that _you _are all that is left to speak."

"Khajiit does not speak of past," he said.

"Oh, come now," said Perennia. "It is important that we _all _speak of ourselves in order to strengthen our bonds."

"Khajiit was once thief, now Khajiit work for you," Khajiit said dismissively. "Happy?"

"Not quite," replied Perennia. "I command that you tell us of your past!"

"Perennia cannot ask that of Khajiit," he snapped back. "Khajiit reveals past to those Khajiit trusts. You have yet to earn Khajiit's trust."

Perennia quickly became angered. "I am your _leader_!" she exclaimed. "How can you not trust me?"

"Because _trust_," I interjected, "is not something that comes with a title or a rise in rank. It must _always_ be earned and maintained by those who lead. One must always maintain the trust their comrades share with them, otherwise… bonds are _broken_."

The Khajiit lifted his gaze from the fire and shifted toward me. "Khajiit thanks you, Nerevar, for understanding." It was the first time I had heard the Khajiit utter any type of compassion. Perhaps there _was_ a kind soul beneath his cold exterior.

Feeling that there was no further convincing him, Perennia gave a defeated sigh. "Very well, Khajiit," she said. "When you feel ready, you may reveal your name then… In the meanwhile… Nerevar, please tell us of _your _past."

I then proceeded to tell the fellowship of nearly all the occurred in the past few years: my arrival to Vvardenfell, the revealing of my destiny, the pilgrimage to the Tree of Dawn, the slaying of Dagoth Ur, my travel back to Cyrodiil, my adventure into the realm of Moonshadow, the learning of my _true_ past, and finally, joining the fellowship. All the while, the others listened intently, never making any attempt to ask any questions.

Once completed with my tale, a long moment of silence was shared around the campfire. Then, at great length, Khajiit spoke.

"Such turmoil," he said aloud. "How does Nerevar cope?"

"Well," I said, "I _did_ have the love and support of my friends and my wife… but it seems that _now_ such things are not there to comfort me…"

"… Fear not, Nerevar," said Perennia. "You are a part of this fellowship now. You may always have our support."

Well, there was _that_. Although, I did not wish to become _too_ attached to those I travelled with. I saw this excursion as merely another order from my Goddess. If I _did_ become too attached… things could get ugly…

"Well then," said Perennia as she stretched her arms over her head, "I believe we have talked enough for tonight. Let us sleep. We have many more days of travel ahead of us." With that, with the fire left to burn out, we unraveled out sleeping rolls and slipped inside them. Khajiit, however, slept in the trees, cradling himself in a small bowl where tree limbs separated.

I slept peacefully that night, even though the thoughts of those who I left in the Imperial City still lingered in my mind…


	13. Evangeline

Chapter 12: Evangeline

Though I did say I slept _peacefully_, it does not mean that I slept without problem. Namely, I woke intermittently many times throughout that night. It seemed that every hour or so I would awake, then fall back asleep shortly thereafter.

It was not until I awoke when the sun was finally peaking over the horizon that I decided to _fully_ awake. Rising from my bed roll, I clothed myself and decided to take a brief walk. As I headed east toward the rising sun, I got the strange feeling that I was not alone in these woods. This feeling was only confirmed when, after about ten minutes, I discovered Sin in the forest as well. He stood strait as a tree and gazed upward into the pale blue sky above.

"Awakening early as well?" I joked as I approached.

Appearing not to be startled, he calmly replied, "You could say that."

"Why such cryptic words? Is there something that you wish to say?"

"No, not truly, though I did not get _any_ sleep last night."

"Ah, neither did I," I said. "I kept waking and falling back asleep throughout the night."

"Well," Sin said, "it was not quite like _that_. You see… I do _not_ sleep."

If this was a joke, it was too early for me to laugh. "You… do not… _sleep_?" I asked in disbelief.

"Correct," replied Sin with a nod. "Ever since my creation, I have had not the need to slumber. Though others of my Daedric brethren do so, _I_ do not. I cannot explain as to why this is so."

"Do you not ever get tired or fatigued?"

"Oh yes, I do. When I _do_ tire, I _rest_ my body as one would sleep, but I do not enter a state of slumber."

"So you have been awake for nearly-"

"Seven thousand years, correct," Sin finished. "The wealth of wisdom I have gathered over the years far exceeds that of any _mortal_ sage or prophet. Because of this, the powers of indoctrination I possess can be better utilized.

Now then, enough of my talk. Let us return to the camp."

With that, Sin and I returned to the camp to find that the others had awoken in our absence. After a quick breakfast, we set off on the west bound trail. Thus became the routine we would hold for the next seven day. Every night, around the fire, we would all retell the stories of our past, sometimes going in great detail.

On the seventh night, _my_ stories reached my arrival to the Tree of Dawn and my first encounter with the man who would later be referred to as Sin. As I told the story, Sin seemed to retreat into the shadows of the night, most likely ashamed that he acted in such a manner. Though we all told Sin that we forgave him of his past transgressions, I felt that it would take more for Sin to feel that his soul was cleansed.

o0o

Awakening on our eight day of travel… we found that much of our supplies were _missing_. Sometime during the previous night, as we slept, thieves must have entered our camp and made off with our food, cooking utensils, Perennia's horse, and, what I saw as the greatest infraction of all, _my_ side arms and Blunderbuss.

Needless to say, I was more than angered.

With my mind becoming clouded with rage, I furiously began to pace back and forth across the camp. "Son of a _bitch_," I hissed to myself. "How in Oblivion could this have happened?!" I turned to the others. "Did no one notice _anything_?"

All remained silent.

I turned my attention to the Khajiit. "You," I said. "Did you not hear them enter the camp? You _are_ Khajiit after all. Your hearing is superior to the rest of us."

"While Nerevar speaks truth of Khajiit hearing," the Khajiit replied, "Khajiit heard nothing. Khajiit is heavy sleeper."

What were the odds?

I then turned my blame to Sin. "What of _you_," I said. "You do not sleep _at all_! Did you not hear anything? Did you not see them enter our camp?"

"I apologize," replied Sin, "but I went for a long walk in the middle of the night and did not return for many hours. I am sorry for not being there."

"Well that is _fucking_ wonderful!" I exclaimed. "Without any food, we will not last more than a week in the wilderness. What will we d-"

Just then, a thought struck me. "Wait a moment," I said aloud as I turned back to the Khajiit. "Khajiit," I said, "why would one steal a horse?"

"To sell for profit," he bluntly replied.

"Yes, _obviously_, but besides that. If one were in the forest, why would one steal a horse?"

After a moment of silent thought, Garothmuk blurted an answer. "To eat!" he exclaimed.

"… What?!" replied Perennia.

"What?" he asked innocently. "Do not tell me that I am the _only_ one that has ever eaten horse meat? _Everyone_ in Orsinium eats horse."

"Well," interjected Sin, "the Orcs _are_ well known for their diet of horse. I was surprised to see _you_, Garothmuk, _riding_ one… How do they taste, anyway?"

"In texture, especially with well ridden horses, it is rather tough and hard to bite into. In flavor, horse is rather sweet tasting. In a light cream sauce, it-"

"Please!" interjected Perennia. "Can we please get back to the issue at hand?" She was clearly disgusted at the mere mention of eating horse.

"Thank you," I said. "Now, what I was trying to get at is that I believe they stole the horse in order to reach the nearest town quickly." I turned to Raven. "Do you know where the nearest town is?" I asked her.

After a brief moment, she replied, "Skingrad. If we travel swiftly, we can reach it in a day's time."

"Good. I believe _there_ is where our thieves have fled to. The quicker we get there, the better our chances or recovering out stolen goods."

o0o

And travel swiftly we did. Because of the urgency of our predicament, we made minimal breaks, only stopping at noon and for the night. Perennia rode behind Raven on her horse for the time being. My thoughts could not help but center on "What hands are my weapons being placed in?" If they fell into the hands of those with villainous intent, the devastation they could bring would be… devastating.

In the morn of the next day, we reach our intended destination: Skingrad. As was the case, it seems, with all Cyrodillic cities and villages, it was entirely enclosed in a towering wall of mortar and stone. The town seemed divided down its center by a deep dip in the land. The Northern half was home to the guild halls and local businesses. The Southern half held host to many residential homes (characterized by their tall and pointed roofs) and the Imperial chapel (which towered over all the other structures.)

In a way, Skingrad reminded me of Balmora…

After we entered Skingrad through the east gate and leaving out horses at a stable, we grouped together and formulated a plan. Actually, _Perennia_ formulated the plan.

Ok everyone, listen up," she said. "I suggest that, in order to apprehend our thieves more quickly, we should split up into three groups of two. Let me see… Raven, you shall go with me." Raven nodded in conformation. "Garothmuk, you will go with Sin." Both nodded. "So, that leaves you, Zaden, to go with Khajiit."

Son of a bitch! Of all the people to go with, I had to be paired with the _Khajiit_?! I looked to the Khajiit and the look he gave back seemed to me a look of distrust. I forced myself not to give a similar look back. "Um, Perennia," I said cautiously, "perhaps I being paired with _Sin_ would be a better-"

"No!" she quickly snapped back. "We are _all_ a team here, Zaden, and as such, it should not matter who you work with. Besides, I sense some tension between you two. Perhaps this time together will be beneficial."

With seemingly no way out of Perennia's choosing, I relented what defiance remained. "As you wish, Perennia."

Thanks a lot.

"Ok," said Perennia, "with that settled, let us head off. Raven and I will search around the north half. Garothmuk and Sin, since the north half is such a more congested area, you will search it as well. That leaves you, Zaden, and Khajiit to search the southern, residential district yourselves.

You must be on the lookout for _anything_ suspicious. It is imperative that we catch these crooks before our supplies, such as Zaden's weapons, get in the wrong hands. Leave no stone unturned, no person unquestioned, no leads unfollowed.

Fellowship, head off!"

o0o

With that, the Khajiit and I walked south and into the residential half of Skingrad. The cobble stone streets were full of people, even at this early hour. Many of the shops and stores were open and the air was full of noise.

"It will be difficult to find any _one_ person in these crowds," I commented.

"Khajiit agrees," Khajiit replied bluntly.

"Well… have you any plans as to what to do to seek out our perpetrations?"

"'Leave no stone unturned' is what Perennia said. Khajiit and Zaden must begin with questioning of every household and every citizen of suspicious activity."

That process turned out to be easier said than done. As we began going door to door, interrogating every one of any thieves, we quickly learned that getting _any _information of criminal activity was a near impossibility. It seemed that there was a veritable silence over the town when it came to criminal dealings.

After two hours of search, our results were nothing but doors shut in our faces and/ or no response at all.

With the sun reaching its high point in the sky, any hope I had was wearing thin. The Khajiit and I finally took out first breather on a bench that sat in front of the towering chapel. Taking a puff from my pipe, I exhaled the smoke sharply and exclaimed "What luck _we_ are having! If you are to go by the words of the villagers alone, it would seem that there were absolutely _no_ criminal elements in this village! Since such a thing is an impossibility, it makes me wonder why there is such silence of such things by the villagers."

"Khajiit has answer to predicament," he said.

"You do?" I said in disbelief. "Then speak it."

"Silence is _Thieves Guild_ doing."

"How so?" I asked.

"Thieves Guild does this in town where they operate. Thieves visit homes, offer incentives to keep mouths shut on dealings. Even make deals with guards to keep silent. Thieves work without fear."

"Hmm," I said aloud. "Well, how do we go around such dealings?"

"Khajiit believes members of Thieves Guild responsible for our theft. This breaks code of Honor Among Thieves: Never steal from other members. If Khajiit and Zaden meet members, Khajiit and Zaden tell them of wrongdoing and thieves get flushed out. This way, we-"

As Khajiit spoke, I noticed two darkly clothed individuals walk in front of us: an Argonian male with gray skin and a female Bosmer. Both wore black cloaks, their hoods up, and each carried a large burlap sacks that looked to be full. Then, I noticed that, from the opening of one of the sacks, poked out a silver knife… a knife that looked _exactly_ like the one fixed upon the end of Blunderbuss.

"Khajiit!" I exclaimed. "It would seem that we have found out thieves already. Take heed of the two darkly dressed ones."

Khajiit took one look at them and began to chuckle. "Amateurs," he commented. "Do not even bother to hide spoils of thieving. They are _asking_ to get caught."

"Quickly, we can apprehend them now!"

"Not yet," said Khajiit. "Let us follow first. Khajiit will tell when to strike."

The Khajiit and I stood up from the bench and began to follow the two thieves, making sure to keep enough distance between them and us. In these crowded streets, keeping our eye on them proved to be a difficulty. However, Khajiit assured me that "Khajiit has their scent."

After trailing them for ten minutes, the two entered a part of the town which was much less crowded than the others. "Now," said Khajiit, "grab them and bring them into that alley," pointing to a darkened nook between two houses to our left. With a nod in reply, we sprinted up behind the two thieves. We reach over their heads and pulled their hoods over their eyes and, while disorientated, we discreetly shuffled them into the nook.

Once in the shadows, the Khajiit pressed them against a wall with a blade of a throwing knife to each of their throats. "You not move," he warned them, "or Khajiit's blade may slip. Zaden, check bags." Ripping the sacks from their now trembling hands, I shifted through its contents. Everything that was taken from us was there: our food, cooking utensils, and, most importantly, my guns. I wasted no time in reequipping myself with them.

Removing the hoods from their heads, we finally looked our thieves in the eyes. They were wide with fear. "Oh shit!" exclaimed the Argonian. "Please, do not kill us. We are just petty thieves!"

"With connections to the Thieves _Guild_," I added. "Tell me, when you stole from us, did you not know that you were stealing from a _member_ of your guild?"

In an instant, the two's eyes darted to the Khajiit, who still kept the blades of his knives pressed against their throats. Sweat began to trickle down their faces. "Damn it, damn it, damn it!" exclaimed the Bosmer. "Honestly, we did not know. If we did, we would not have stolen from you. We are deeply sorry, Khajiit."

Khajiit scoffed at the thieves pitiful pleas for mercy. "Tell Khajiit why Khajiit should forgive?" he taunted.

"We- We were starving," explained the Argonian. We had our supplies stolen a few days ago. Damn witch…"

Witch?!

"Hold a moment," I interjected. "What is this talk of a witch?"

"It was a witch," said the Argonian. "She tricked us with her magic into giving her all the food and supplies we had on our person. She then knocked us out and, when we awoke, we were left for dead in the middle of the forest. We have been without food for at least four days. When we passed your camp, it could not help ourselves. We are sorry."

"Where is this witch?" I asked them. "Where did you see her?"

"W- Why do you wish to know?" asked the Bosmer. "You are not thinking of actually seeking her out?"

"_That _is not your concern. Tell me where you saw her!"

"It was about four days' walk west. There was a cave not a far distance from the main road. She drew us in using her black magic. I would not venture there if _I_ were you."

"Worry not about _me_, but rather, _yourselves_… You stole one of our party's horses. Where is it?"

The two thieves gave worries looks to each other. "We are sorry," said the Argonian, "but we sold the horse to a family of Orcs here in Skingrad. They have probably already eaten it by now."

Huh. I guess Orcs really _do_ eat horses.

"Please," continued the Argonian. "We did not know we were stealing from you, Khajiit. Can you forgive us?"

Khajiit finally lifted the knives from the thieves' throats. "Khajiit shall forgive," he said, "_if_ thieves leave Khajiit's sight… NOW!" They quickly fled the alley, running at a speed that would rival a Cliff Racer (which is, to say, _very_ fast.)

As the Khajiit sheathed his knives, I double checked the contents of the sacks, confirming that everything that was stolen from us was within. As I did so, an unexpected sentence was uttered from the Khajiit's lips. "Zaden did well," he said.

Utterly taken back from receiving a _complement_ from the Khajiit, I shot to my feet and faceed the Khajiit. "Thank you, Khajiit," I replied.

"Please," he said, "call Khajiit… Dar'Raskar. That is Khajiit's true name."

Such a statement took me back even _further_. "Wha- I- Uh… Is that ok with you," I asked him, "to call you by your true name?" Dar'Raskar nodded in reply. "What of the others? Are they allowed to do so as well?"

"… What the hell," Dar'Raskar replied. "Khajiit supposes so… Oh, Zaden, Khajiit was wondering: why does Zaden hold such interest toward mention of witch?"

"Because," I replied, "that witch… could very well be my mother."

o0o

Dar'Raskar and I regrouped where we began, at the Skingrad stables. While they were disappointed to return empty handed, they became instantly pleased to hear of Dar'Raskar and I's success. After telling that we were successful in retrieving our supplies (save Perennia's horse) I revealed the second chapter of our success: the possible location of my birth mother. We estimated that atop our horses, the thieves' four day _walk_ would talk two day's _ride_.

o0o

On the second day of travel, everyone seemed on the edge. Everyone of the fellowship seemed to have subtle anxiety on their faces. From the stories _I _have heard of witches, they are cold, deceitful, and wicked beings. They have been known to steal the souls of travelers or seduce them with black magic into loving them. Some stories told of witches turning the innocent into mindless husks, forever condemned to carry out their every whim.

The thought that my mother could be such a person sent chills down my spine.

All throughout that second day of travel, we slowly trotted down the now winding dirt road. This part of the woods seemed strangely dark, as if a shadow had been cast upon this entire area. As we slowly ventured forward, a feeling of fear crept along the spines of all in the fellowship. We all travelled close to one another, keeping each other at arm's length.

"Everyone," I said, "keep your wits about you. If what the thieves said was correct, we are venturing into the area the witch was last seen. Her influence may draw us toward her lair, but it may completely ensnare out minds. Again, keep your wits about you."

"Bah!" shot Garothmuk. "If this witch is as powerful as we are led to believe, keeping out wits about us will not be enough to save us from her magic."

"From what you have told us, Zaden," added Perennia, who once again rode in front of Raven on her horse, "that this witch forced the thieves of their belongings with a sort of indoctrination." Her gaze turned to Sin, who rode to my right. "Sin, do you know of any way to counteract indoctrination?"

Sin shook his head. "Not for _you_, I am afraid," he replied. "You see, those who possess the power of indoctrination cannot be indoctrinated themselves. While _I_ will be safe from her influence, everyone else may not-"

Sin stopped mid sentence. "What is it?" I asked him, to which he quickly replied, "Everyone, stop."

The horses came to an abrupt stop and we all pivoted around to face Sin. "What is the matter?" asked Perennia.

Suddenly, Sin began to grin, accompanying it with a chuckle. "What a fool I am," he said aloud, as if to himself. "How could I forget to tell them?"

"Tell us what?" asked Garothmuk.

"Of the gift," Sin replied, "from _Azura_."

"What _gift_?" I snapped, instantly irritated at the mere mention of _Her_ name.

Sin reached behind his black robe from the neck and retrieved a number of small pads of paper. Each shared a intricate design of the Moon and Star insignia on it, illustrated with hundreds and hundreds of characters from the Daedric alphabet.

"While you slumbered last night, I took a long walk in the dead quite of the woods. Once in a comfortable spot, I began to meditate. It was then that Azura contacted me. I told Her of the previous days' events and how we were going to seek out Zaden's mother. She warned me of the dangers of witches and that she would definitely attempt of indoctrinate us when we ventured near her domain.

So, as a preventative measure, she gave me these enchanted scrolls. She assured me that, when applied to one's body, they will shield the wearer from any influence of indoctrination. There is enough for all of you, myself excluded. Please, everyone, take one and placed on your person. _Where_ and _how_ are not of importance."

We each took a piece from Sin's hand and began to apply them to our bodies. We found that they stuck to our skin without the need of any adhesive. I placed mine on the left shoulder blade of my back. I did not bother to look where the others placed theirs.

Once everyone was ready, we continued down the road. With each passing minute, the forest about us seemed to grow darker and darker. In fact, it seemed the sun itself was dimming, becoming more and more hidden behind a sky of increasing clouds. It was not long until the sky became overcast. The looks on everyone's faces were stern but fearful, Perennia being the _more so _fearful.

It was not until (what I assumed) was three hours past noon when a strange occurrence came about. From the now pitch blackness of the wood came the sounds of voices. _One_ voice, to be specific: a voice that would have belonged to a young maiden. It kept repeating the phrase "Come to me."

"Do you hear that?" I asked aloud.

Everyone turned their heads toward me, each having a bemused look. "Hear what?" asked Perennia.

"That voice," I replied. "It comes from the forest to my left… It sounds close."

"It may be the wit- I mean, your mother… Should we venture into the forest?"

"If the gifts of Azura do as She proclaimed they would, we _should _have nothing to worry about. Everyone, stay close." I looked to the tree limbs above. "Dar'Raskar! Join us on the ground." An instant later, the Khajiit plummeted from the foliage, landing lightly upon his feet.

With each reiteration of the phrase "Come to me", we followed the source of the noise through the dark forest. A thick fog built as we ventured deeper and deeper, making visibility more and more scarce. As the voice grew louder, my heart beat faster.

Finally, a feature other than trees appeared from the forest before us. We came upon a lone rock outcropping that had an open air tunnel leading below its surface. The voice echoed deep within. "This is it," I declared, "the source of the voice. Everyone follow close and, whatever you do, do _nothing_ to provoke her."

We dismounted our horses and began out slow creep down the dark tunnel. The path led to a pitch black corridor of stone. Summoning a ball of fire in my right hand, I lit the path ahead for myself and the others. The deeper we went, the more the air became stale.

After only a few minutes, we came upon a wooden door, built into the rock itself. The voice spoke once more. "Open," it demanded.

"She lies beyond," I told the others. "Remember, do _nothing_ to provoke." With that, I opened the door.

What lay beyond came as a shock to me. Beyond the door was a large void where a surprisingly well furnished living place, complete with a table for eating, a bed, a number of shelves that housed books, food, and utensils, and a large wardrobe. Against the right wall was a large fire that illuminated the entire room in warm orange light. The smoke from said fire rose to the ceiling and out a small hole which I could only assume reached the surface.

In front of said fire, sitting atop a small stool, sat the black silhouette of a cloaked woman.

Extinguishing the fire from my right hand, I slowly approached the silhouette, the others keeping but a few steps behind me. When I came within ten feet of the woman, she spoke. Her voice was no longer that of a young maiden, but that of an aged woman, mysterious in tone.

"Welcome," she slowly said. "I am glad you have arrived."

She rose up from the stool and turned to face us. The fire behind her kept her face in shadow, so it was out of our vision. "I see you all are _quite_ well equip for travelers. I see that I was _right_ in summoning you here." She then raised her hand in front of her and waved across once. Instantly, I felt a strong presence of mana about me. It was her indoctrination, attempting to penetrate us. However, with the barriers produced from the enchanted scrolls, the indoctrination failed to take hold.

Under the assumption that her powers _did_ work, she began to order us like common slaves. "Now," she said, "strip yourselves of your weapons and lay them at my feet."

We moved not an inch.

"I _said _lay your weapons at my feet!" she repeated.

"… I think _not_," I replied.

"What?!" she snapped. "Do as I command, slave!"

"We are no slaves to you, witch. Your indoctrination is useless against us."

She gasped. Now seemingly cornered, the witch began to slowly back away from us, to which we slowly began to approach. "How can this be?" she asked herself aloud. "My powers should have taken hold by now! What prevents it?!" She eventually backed herself into one of the rock walls of the cavern on the opposite side of the room. He face was now in the path of the fire's light, finally revealing it. She was of perfect beauty, nearly surpassing the beauty of Azura. Her skin was a cream white, her eyes jet black and her hair, long and strait, a smoky gray.

"Please," she pleaded, "have mercy upon my wretched soul!"

"We have not come to exact vengeance," I replied. "We merely sought you out so that we may talk… mother."

Her pleading turned to denial in the blink of an eye. "Nonsense," she shot back. "I have no sons. You are clearly delusional to even think that _I_ would ever-"

"At least thirty years ago," I interrupted, "you met a soldier that traveled with a group from the Imperial Legion. You fell in love with that man, he fell in love with you, and you consummated that love. You gave birth to a male child who you returned to your love. He brought that child back to his village of Draconia.

That child grew up and was suddenly sent away to the island of Vvardenfell, where he discovered his destiny: that he was the reincarnation of Indoril Nerevar. He later accomplished what his past life could not: slaying the dark lord Dagoth Ur, thus freeing Vvardenfell from his power.

That man, _your _son… is none other than _I_, Zaden."

The angered look upon the witch's face slowly began to recite, morphing into a look of sheer disbelief. Raising her slender white hand in front of here, the long sleeve of her gray cloak hanging from it, she approached me step by step. One within reach, she placed her soft hand against my face, as if to prove that I was not merely an illusion.

"… Tovas?" she asked, her voice now trembling. "Could it possibly be you?"

I smiled, a single tear now rolling down my fight cheek. "Hello, mother," I said.

For a brief moment, we said not a word. We simply continued to gaze into each other's eyes. After what seemed an eternity, I began to wonder if she was beginning to doubt herself. I open my mouth to speak, only to quickly be silenced by the witch's arms locking around my arms and torso, and then squeezing with enough force to make even _me_ stop breathing.

The look of sheer ecstasy on mother's face was enough to bring me further to tears. "Tovas!" she exclaimed. "Never did I think in a hundred years would I ever lay eyes upon my son as a grown man! You do not know just how _happy_ I am."

"Uh, I believe I _do_," I said, my voice straining from the crushing pressure of the hug. "In fact, your happiness is staring to break my bones." I swore I heard my spine cracking.

Quickly realizing what she was doing, she released me from her grip. "Sorry," she chuckled. "I suppose my joy got the better of me." She then took the time to glance at my appearance. "You have grown a great deal, Tovas. When I last saw you, you were but three months old." Her gaze then turned to the people who stood behind me. "Who be these people?" she asked.

"They are the people who I am currently traveling with," I replied. "The one with red hair is Perennia. I, including the others, are protecting her as she travels to Anvil and back. The Orc is Garothmuk, Warrior of the Blades. The Imperial-skinned Elf is Raven, archer of the Blades. The cloaked daedra is Sin, a powerful user of indoctrination (such as yourself.) Finally, the Khajiit is Dar'Raskar, a master of stealth and assassination skills.

Mother gave a respectable bow to each. "Nice to meet you all. You may call me Evangeline." Evangeline then leaned in close to my ear. "Tovas," she whispered to me, "is the half-breed… your wife?"

Apparently, Raven had heard the question and she became instantly defensive. "Absolutely _not_!" she exclaimed.

"Why so defensive?" asked Evangeline to Raven. "Do you not find my son a worthy catch?"

Raven instantly found herself between a rock and a hard place. "Well…" she hesitated, "I would not go so far as to say _that_…" Raven began to blush ever so slightly.

Mother suddenly burst into laughter. "I merely jest, young half-breed," she said. "Do not get yourself so riled up." Raven's cheeks blushed ever so slightly. No one but _I_ noticed it.

"Now," said Evangeline as she turned back to me, "what is this business you spoke of? 'Nerevar?' You know that you need not lie to impress me."

"I do not lie," I said. "What I said before was the truth. I _am_ Nerevar."

"Hmmm. Well, if you speak the truth, you would not mind if I… read your thoughts?"

"… For what reason?" I instinctively asked.

"There is so much I wish to learn of your past," she said. "Instead of you reiterating all the finer details of your experiences, it would be much more time saving to allow me to read your thoughts… Will you allow it?"

Needless to say that I was _initially_ hesitant. I never enjoyed the aspect of memory reading. I believe that memories are to be sacred things that, if one chose to retain them, no others would know them.

"How do I know you will not try some devilish trick while I am under your influence?" I cautiously asked.

"Do you think your own _mother_ an enemy?" she asked.

"You _are_ a _witch_," I replied.

"Fair enough… But I give to you my word, from a mother to her son, that I shall not attempt any trickery, indoctrination, or nothing of the sort. If I do, I allow your allies to kill me… Does that satisfy you, my son?"

At great length I shrugged my shoulders. "Very well," I replied. "You may proceed."

With that, Evangeline approached and placed the index and middle finger of her right hand upon my fore head. A split second later, a powerful surge of mana flowed between Evangeline and I. Our heartbeats synchronized during the melding. A moment later, her fingers lifted from me.

Evangeline took a few steps back. The look upon her face showed confusion. "Strange…" she said. "Quite strange… Much of your memory is gone, everything past a few years ago is… _absent_. I cannot explain how this could have come about…

However, I can now confidently say that your claim that you are Nerevar Incarnate is truthful. You have seen and experienced much lately. I have also seen that you have made many good friends along your journeys… including a _wife_.

Zela, was it?" I nodded. "She is quite beautiful and seems a kind soul… But I see that you left each other on unstable terms. If I were _you_, son, I would mend such wounds before they scar, understand?"

"Of course," I replied with another nod. "Once this journey is complete, I will have much to mend."

"Indeed…" Her gaze shifted to not only _I_, but the others as well. "Well, now that I now know of the gravity of your quest, I wish not to prolong your travels any further. Please, you may all leave if you wish.

Garothmuk, Sin, Dar'Raskar, Perennia, and Raven each gave Evangeline a formal bow as farewell and they began to head toward the exit. I gave Evangeline a kiss on the cheek and the words of "Farewell for now, mother."

Then, as _I_ headed toward the door, out of the very corner of my hearing, Evangeline spoke final parting words. "Farewell, my son…

Trust not the Queen."

I quickly whipped around to ask what she meant… only to find that she was gone.

Queen…

o0o

Apparently, we were within the cave longer than we thought, for when we resurfaces, the sky was a setting orange and the sun began to hide behind the far off landscape. Returning to our horses, we continued West along the trail for but a few miles before we settled down for the night. Once settled, I reminded everyone of the patches we still wore. in light of that, many began to strip the paper of themselves, including myself.

The mood about the camp was a festive one (if not from everyone, then by from myself.) That night, to celebrate my reunion with my birth mother, Raven opened one of the luxuries she brought with her along our journey: a bottle of aged brandy, dating back at least fifty years. All but Perennia (who was not of age) partook greatly of the brandy (much to Perennia's chagrin.)

o0o

I awoke at a late hour that night. It seemed to be in the dead middle of the night. The quiet about the forest was almost unsettling. Upon awakening, I was suddenly gripped with a all too familiar pain in the lower half of my body, a pain that would bring even the mightiest warriors to their knees (if endured long enough.)

I groaned. "Perhaps I drank a bit too much," I whispered to myself. "I need to piss."

Dragging myself from my sleeping bag, I began to take a short walk from the camp. It seemed that Sin had taken yet another midnight walk. After a few minutes, I came upon a small lake, most likely a collection of runoff water pooling at the base of a few hills. Both moons were out tonight, the red moon maxing, the white moon waning. With the lower body pain still plaguing me, I relieved myself in the waters.

Shortly after I finished, I began to head back. Suddenly, shifting brush sounded to my left. Thinking it an enemy, I channeled mana into my right arm and aimed toward the source of the noise. "Show yourself!" I ordered.

A moment later, much to my surprise, Perennia appeared from the darkness of the brush, her pale skin glowing in the light of the moon. "Perennia?" I said, channeling the mana back into my reserves, "What in Oblivion are you doing at this late hour?"

"One could ask you the same," she replied in a playful voice.

"Well, _I_ _was_… relieving myself. Well, it matters not. Come, Perennia, we should head back to the camp." I turned back around and began to head back, only to be halted by Perennia grasping my arm. "Perennia! What are you-?"

"Stay a moment, will you not?" she asked me. "I wanted to say and look at the moons for a bit, and this is the only place nearby where the leaves of the trees do not block it from view. Please, stay a bit longer."

"Perennia, I-"

"_Please_, Zaden?"

Son of a bitch. "Fine," I relented. "But only for a few more moments. _Then_ we head back."

Perennia sat down with her back against a tree trunk. She then patted the ground to her left, as if telling me to sit there. I took a seat on the opposite side of the tree. "When you're ready to leave," I said, "_please_, do not hesitate to say so."

"Oh please, Zaden," she said, "join me on the other side of the tree."

"I would rather not," I replied. Perennia was the only thing keeping me from sleep.

"Fine then. I shall _join_ you then." With that, she scooted herself around the base of the tree and sat _rather_ closely to my right. "Of course _here_," she continued, "you cannot see the beauty of the two moons."

"Perennia, we _really_ should be heading back to-"

"Do you think I am pretty, Nerevar?" she asked.

…

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"Do you think I am pretty? There is no one else here, you can speak freely."

"This is absurd! I am not going to answer such a question!" What brought about such a radical change in her behavior? I always had the suspicion that she shared some sort of feelings toward me, but to _this_ extent? "Perennia," I continued, "you are clearly not feeling well. We should head back to-"

Before the sentence was even finished, Perennia was on top of me, straddling my lap. "Well," she said, her tone now both playful and sinister, "perhaps I need to _convince_ you into expressing your feelings toward me." It was at that moment that I noticed something odd about her eyes. They seemed… soulless, devoid of feeling. Something was _definitely_ wrong here.

"Perennia, get off this instant!" I commanded.

"Not yet," she replied with a grin. "Let us _first_… get to know each other better."

I grasped her by the arms with enough strength to make her squirm. "If you do not get off me this instant, I will _throw _you off."

"_You_ will do no such _thing_!" she spat venomously. "If you refuse me, I will scream. When I do, the Khajiit will come running to my aid and will see you taking advantage of me… and will _kill_ you right on the spot." This was not Perennia, not the Perennia I knew. Her tone, her personality: someone or something was making her do this.

"Now," she continued, "if you value your life, you will keep your mouth shut and allow this to happen."

She (quite literally) had me by my balls. It was Azura's will that I stay with Perennia and her group in order to ensure her safety. If I refuse her advance, I get killed by Dar'Raskar. If I were to even defend myself from his attacks, the others would see this as treason and banish me from the group. However, if I accept Perennia's advance, I would be betraying Zela…

With what felt like the weight if Nirn on my soul, I replied to Perennia. "… Do as you must," I sighed. "Just make it quick."

Perennia's eyes seemed to glow. "Glad to see you have accepted," she smirked. "Now sit back, relax yourself, and let me show you my love."

And so it began. With my gaze averted from her, Perennia began her adulterous acts. Throughout the entire ordeal, I forced my mind to think of other things, _anything_ so that I could escape this situation.

Now I _wished_ Dar'Raskar had killed me.


	14. The Oblivion Gate

Chapter 13: The Oblivion Gate

No matter how much I tried, the memories of that moment could not escape me. They seemed to burn the more they lingered. The fact that I did what I did on good intentions did not help this feeling of betrayal. After the immoral deed was done, I vaguely remember Perennia wishing me "Pleasant dreams," but I must have fallen asleep shortly after because the next morn, I awoke in the exact same spot I was during the night: my back against a tree somewhere in the woods.

As I groaned myself awake, I heard footsteps approach from in front of me. From behind a patch of shrubbery came Sin. "_There_ you are, Zaden," he said. "We have been looking for you! You of all people should know better than to wander the forest alone."

I slowly rose to my feet, groaning once more. "What of you?" I retorted. "You wander more than _I_."

"No offence, Zaden, but I have better sense of direction than you. You cannot even read a map," he joked.

"… You have me there, my friend," I said with a laugh.

"Let us go, Zaden. In case you have not noticed, it is quite late in the morn and everyone else is waiting for you so that we may head off." I followed Sin through the forest until he eventually lead us back to the camp. Everyone was standing by their horses, clearly anxious to head off.

Perennia stood with arms crossed across her chest and her right foot tapping in an annoyed manner. I could not bear to look her in the eyes. Perennia approached and then began to stare me down (which was tough for her to do, given our noticeable height difference.) "And where in Oblivion have _you_ been?" she asked accusingly.

I was on the verge of replying with something along the lines of "You know damn well where!"… But I analyzed the tone of her voice. It was not one of hidden sarcasm. In fact, it was in as much of an _honest_ tone one could voice.

"Y- You mean," I slowly said, "you do not know?"

"Why _would _I?" she instantly shot back. "It is not my job to keep track of you, Zaden. _You_ are to keep track of _me_, and I fail to see how that can be done as you get yourself lost in the woods.

From now on, try to stay with the group, Zaden, ok?"

What in Oblivion is going on? She was acting as if _nothing_ had happened the previous night. If she was masking the truth from the others, she was doing an amazing job, but her act seems _too_ convincing for it to be real. Perhaps she… forgot?

Not possible.

"Zaden!" she continued. "Are you ready to leave _now_? Or do you wish to gaze off into nothingness for another eternity?"

"Eh- No, Perennia," I said at length, "I am ready."

With that, everyone mounted their steeds and we continued westward. Initially, I kept close to the group. However, as my mind continued to mull over the prior events, my horse's pace slowly began to decline, causing me to pull back from the group.

After a few moments, Sin noticed my drawing back and decided to inquire me as to why. Pulling back and riding to my right, we both were out of earshot of the others.

"Does something bother you, Zaden?" asked Sin. "Is something troubling you?"

While I respected all I travelled with (Raven, Garothmuk, Dar'Raskar, and Perennia as well), Sin was the only one I felt comfortable telling of what happened.

"… Something happened the previous night," I finally replied, "that is causing my mind to spin in circles. An event occurred that, even though I know it to be _real_, I simply cannot comprehend that it _actually_ happened."

"What happened, Zaden?" asked Sin.

I took in a deep breath. "Last night, I walked into the forest to go to the bathroom. One I had finished, from the darkness of the night, Perennia appeared. She asked me to join her as she watched the moons. I _agreed_, but begrudgingly so, as all I wished to do was to return to my slumber. Then, as we both sat together, our backs against the trunk of a tree, Perennia…" If it was not said _now_, it would be said eventually. "… She pinned me down and forced me to… commit adulterous acts."

It would be a full ten seconds until Sin made any sort of auditable response. "… What?" he finally exclaimed. "You had sex with Perennia? How could you do such a thing?"

"She threatened me with my life," I replied.

"I- She… Are you sure it was her? This just does not seem like something she would do."

"Well, that is just _it_," I said. "That night, her eyes seemed… soulless. I am not sure, but I keep having the feeling that… Perennia's actions were not her own. Then, this morning, she acted as if absolutely nothing had happened."

"Well that is merely smart thinking. If I were Perennia, _I_ would not want anyone to gain any suspicion."

"Yes, but Sin… I have a knack at knowing when people are lying or telling untruths. If she was attempting to cover up any information of any sort, I would be able to detect any change in her voice. However, when she spoke this morn… she spoke as if her words were the absolute truth.

I just cannot understand how this could be."

Sin thought silently for a moment. "This _is_ quite the predicament," he commented. "Perhaps the reason that you could not make out her untruths… was because she really _did_ think she was telling the truth… But how could that be?" He thought for another moment.

"Zaden," he continued, "when the 'act' was committed, did you get a good feel of her?"

"… What in Oblivion does that have to do with any-?"

"What I _mean_, Zaden, is did you feel or sense anything out of place? Anything that could explain her sudden behavior?"

As much as it displeased me to think back to that moment, I endured and sent my mind back into the previous night. I began to analyze anything that seemed out of the ordinary. It nearly caused me to expectorate. Finally, after a few moments, I picked out one thing I did recall as perhaps out of the ordinary.

"Well," I said, "remember the scrolls you gave us yesterday, the ones that protected us from my mother's indoctrination?" Sin nodded. "Well, I noticed that Perennia still had hers applied to her back. Perhaps that accounts for something?"

"Hmm, perhaps," replied Sin.

"But how could it?" I asked. "If your scroll protected from indoctrination, my mother could not have affected Perennia."

"… Perhaps it was Azura?" Sin asked.

_Azura_.

"What are you implying?" I questioned Sin.

"Well, perhaps (and it pains me to think such a thing) _Azura_ is responsible for Perennia's behavior. Since the scrolls were crafted by Her, they might have acted as some sort of medium with which to control Perennia's thoughts and actions. Her intention for doing so, though, is unclear to me."

"Sin, the fact that Azura could be playing _any_ role in this journey is unsettling." I was almost mirroring Hui's words. "I do not like this, not one bit, Sin."

"Well, Zaden," said Sin, "what will you do if you find out that Azura _was_ playing a role in Perennia's strange behavior?"

"… I do not know," I replied. "If I wish to exact retribution, it would simply be in vain, for She is more powerful than I."

"Well, let us not dwell on this any further, Zaden. It will not do well to keep our minds fixed on such things, lest we prove ourselves to be less valuable assets for Perennia. While I believe we both must keep our wits about us, we must still serve Perennia to our fullest."

"… Agreed, Sin," I replied at length. "Let us return to the group now. Let us not arouse any suspicions the others may have of us." With that, our horses quickened their pace and we caught up with the others.

"Ah, you return!" joked Garothmuk. "That looked like quite the conversation you were exchanging. To what exactly did it pertain to?"

I put on a fake smile "Oh, only to how we may better serve our leader, Perennia, in our travels together," I replied in a _clearly_ sarcastic tone.

"Ha ha," replied Garothmuk flatly, "wise guy, eh? Whatever."

Ha… I did not think that would actually work…

o0o

We traveled without issue for the next seven days. During that time, no other unexpected behavior issues occurred with Perennia. As well, she failed to gain any recollection of what she did. This only further proved my thoughts that something or _someone_ was in control of her actions on that night.

On that seventh day, we came upon the site where Perennia's first encounter with the daedra of the Deadlands occurred: the city of Kvatch. Perennia had told us of the damage done to the city when the Oblivion gate open up , but her stories paled in comparison to the _reality_ of it.

Even after many weeks, fires still seemed to burn within the city's walls. Columns of faint smoke rose from the roofs of buildings. Many of the structures were either badly burned, left half crumbled, or turned into heaping piles of ash and stone.

Ever since the invasion of Mehrunes Dagon's forces into Kvatch, much of the population lives outside the city. While there were a select few that refused to leave their now decrepit and broken homes, much of the population lived within short walking distance of Kvatch, opting to live in a congregation of tents.

As we rode through the city of tents, many of the citizens recognized Perennia as the one who closed the Oblivion gate: their savior. They each began to approach and give words of heartfelt thanks. Perennia returned their thanks with smiles and modesty, but I could see in her eyes that she was truly affected by seeing the full impact of the attack.

The fellowship decided on camping in the outskirts of Kvatch for that night. With the tent city within sight of us (and vice versa) we settled down and made camp. Periodically, citizens would visit our camp, bring gifts of thanks and gratitude for Perennia. They usually consisted of only things such as fabric, fruits and vegetables, and, on a few occasions, livestock. Perennia usually accepted, feeling that she was obligated to do so.

Eventually, though, the commotion died out as the sun fell behind the horizon. Near the city, there seemed to be much less stars in the sky. As we ate our dinner, our conversation inevitably fell upon the invasion of Kvatch.

"It is such a travesty," said Perennia. "It pains me to think of all whose homes or _lives _were lost during the invasion."

"It _is_ a shame," commented Garothmuk, "but let it not weigh your mind and thoughts down, Perennia."

"But these people… I cannot help but feel that I must protect them, to save them."

"I do not mean to say you should abandon them, but rather, I am suggesting to not allow any feelings of guild you may hold _effect_ you. If your mind centers on nothing but guilt, you become _that_ much less effective when you are in battle."

Perennia gave a sigh. "I see your meaning, Garothmuk" she said. Her gaze then turned to me. "Zaden," she said. "_You_ are considered a hero among the people of Morrowind, are you not? You were in charge of _many_ during your travels to the Tree of Dawn. I ask you, how did you cope with any lose the Pilgrimage had?"

I looked into the fire. "… I just kept telling myself," I slowly replied, "that no matter what I did or what happened, that I would improve myself at every opportunity possible. While I did feel guilt for those who were lost, I just kept telling myself that I _will_ improve."

"Hmm," replied Perennia. "I see… It's just… I feel so much guilt for those I have failed. I am not sure I can-"

She halted mid-word, her eyes slowly lifted toward the sky. He eyes widened with fear. "The sky," she said, "it is turning…"

I looked up as well. From seemingly nowhere, the clear night sky had suddenly turned overcast and a fiery red glow illuminated the clouds that same color. Lightning then began to rip through the clouds, sending ground shaking booms through the air.

"I have seen this before!" exclaimed Perennia. "This is a precursor! An Oblivion gate is opening near us!"

Raven shot to her feet and pointed off to the West, to a small grove of trees in the distance where it seemed a raging fire was brewing in its center. "There!" she said. "The gate is within the grove."

Wasting no time, everyone else shot to their feet and mounted their horses (save Dar'Raskar.) Smacking the leather reigns against our horses' backs, they galloped at full speed toward the unknown light. As we approached, the lightning and thunder became more and more intense, almost to the point that the sky was constantly illuminated with lightning bolts.

Our horses came to a stumbling halt as we finally reached the light source. It truly _was_ an Oblivion gate, and it was just as Perennia had described it: like a giant flaming eye, turned onto its side, with the landscape around it burned and scarred black.

Upon looking at such a hauntingly familiar site, Perennia began to shake. "My God," she whispered aloud to herself, "not another…"

I placed a reassuring hand on her left shoulder. "Fear not," I told her, "you have closed an Oblivion Gate before, and you can most certainly do it again."

Regaining her composure, she gave a nod and turned back to the group. "Fellowship, listen to me!" she announced. "We must split into two groups: one to hold the outside of the gate and kill any hostile daedra that emerge from it and a second to _enter_ the gate and close it from within… Khajiit, Garothmuk, and Raven," she said as she pointed to each, "you will hold the outside."

Perennia turned to Sin and I. "You two will accompany me as we enter the gate. Zaden, you have more experience killing daedra then most of us, and you, Sin, being daedra yourself _and_ a former servant of Mehrunes Dagon, could aid us. Are you both ready?"

Sin and I nodded in unison.

With that, we turned to face the flames of the gate. Perennia was the first to approach. With her left arm outstretched before her, she plunged her arm into the flames and her body followed. In an instant, she disappeared from sight.

"Do not worry, it does not hurt," said Sin as _he_ approached the gate and walked into it.

With no one left but I, I took what could be my last breath and walked into the fires of the Oblivion Gate.

o0o

I have never believed in what many call "Hell," a place that if you live a life of sin, you are sent to where you are punished for all eternity. I do not believe such things because I know the _truth_ that there is no such place. However, I now believe their visual depiction of Hell was based off that of the realm of Mehrunes Dagon: the Deadlands.

The portal transported Perennia, Sin, and I to a large island in the middle of a vast ocean of molten rock. The heat that rolled from its surface was nearly unbearable. In the center of the island, built atop a tall hill, was a trio of imposing, demonically built obelisks, connected to each other at half their heights by narrow bridges. The sky continued to flash with lightning and shake with thunder.

Upon entering, we armed ourselves: Perennia unsheathed her dual broadswords and grasped one in each hand and I took Blunderbuss from its scabbard. Sin, however, who relied solely on his magic, had no need to arm himself.

Perennia pointed to the tallest of the three towers. "To close the gate, the Sigil Stone must be removed from the Sigillum Sanguis. It _will _be heavily guarded, so you two best be on your guard." She then studied the landscape before her. "The trail most likely snakes its way up this hillside, so expect ambush attacks.

Head off!"

With Perennia taking the lead, Sin and I followed her as she led the way up the winding road up the hill. The reason for having such a winding trail was evident: as Perennia mentioned, for use of ambush. All these twists and turns would allow the daedra of this realm to set up many points of ambush, leaving Sin, Perennia, and I at a major disadvantage.

As we walked, I suddenly was overtaken by a realization: the mana of this place was incredibly strong. Closing my eyes and looking toward the ground, there was an indescribable sea of mana beneath our feet. The air also seemed thick with mana. I turned to Sin to ask if he felt the mana as well, but before I could speak, he gave me a wink of his eye, telling me without words that he _knew_ what I was feeling.

As we made the second bend up the incline, Perennia looked back to Sin and I and apparently noticed our facial expressions: mine was being understandably in awe, but Sin's being strangely calm.

"Sin, you seem rather at ease for being in such a place," she commented. "Why is that?"

Sin gave a slight grin. "You forget, Milady, I was once a servant of Mehrunes Dagon. I have been in this realm many a time. It does not affect me as it would you."

"I see… Um, _Milady_?" she asked Sin.

"Yes, _Milady_. It is a term of endearment, one used for royalty, is it not? Do you not like such a title?"

"Actually, I _do_ like it," she replied. "In fact, when we return to the others, I'll make it a requirement that everyone refers to me as 'Milady.'"

My head could not help but drop. "_Now_ look at what you've done," I said jokingly to Sin. "See what happens when you plant such thoughts in such an impressionable mind?"

"Excuse _me_," interjected Perennia, "but what do you mean by 'impressionable?'"

"Well, Peren- Excuse me, _Milady_," I mocked, "but savior or not, you _are_ still a child."

"I am _not_ a child," she shot back. "I am nearly nineteen years of age!"

"Like I said: child."

"Oh, you are just cross that you have to call me Milady… Sin," she said, "you do not think I am a child, do you?"

"Well," replied Sin, "seeing as I have lived for nearly seven thousand years… Yes, I would say you _are_, indeed, a child."

"Oh to Hell with both of you," she said in a huff.

"Too late," I shot back. "We are already here!" and Sin and I both burst into laughter.

Suddenly, the sound of shifting rocks brought our laughter to an abrupt end. We instantly whipped around to face the source of the noise: the last bend in the trail we took. Perennia and I clutched our weapons tight and I could feel Sin channeling mana into his arms.

From behind a ridge to the North (or what I assumed was North) came a volley of fireballs that arched into the sky and fell toward our position. Reacting, I cast a domed magic shield over our heads and the balls of fire exploded above us, but _we_ were remained unharmed. Dropping the shield, Sin retaliated by throwing a powerful telekinetic blast over the ridge.

Erupting on the other side, a group of five Scamps were sent flying helplessly through the air. Some landed on the hard rock, breaking their bones upon contact. Others were thrown into the sea of lava and they sunk right below the surface. When all were defeated, we continued up the trail.

Eventually, we came upon a point along the trail that had a strait path upward to the entrance to one of the lesser towers (not the main tower, where the Sigil Stone was.) Looking out to our right, we finally had full view of the main tower: it was positioned on an inaccessible island about fifty feet away from the island we stood on. The only thing connecting the two land masses was the bridge between the two towers.

"It would seem," said Sin, "that we are forced to make our way through this lesser tower in order to reach the main one. Needless to say, it will be crawling with daedra."

"We can take on anything thrown at us," I confidently declared. "Are you comfortable with killing your formal allies?" I asked Sin.

"You saw what I did with the Scamps, did you not?" he replied with a grin. "Besides, I no longer share any feeling of loyalty for Mehrunes Dagon. I will gladly kill any daedra that stand in our path."

Grinning back, we approached the doors to the lesser tower. When we came within a few feet of them, the doors swung open on their own. With Perennia gripping the handles of her swords tightly, Sin pooling mana into his arms, and me with a tight grip on Blunderbuss, we slowly stepped inside, the doors shutting behind us.

The interior of the tower was just as demonically visual as the exterior was. Two step-less walkways wrapped along the circular walls of the room, leading upward to the next floor. The floor we walked into was empty.

"Zaden," whispered Perennia, "you take the walkway on the left. Sin and I will take the one on the right. They should converge on the next floor."

Giving a nod, we took our separate paths. I placed the butt of Blunderbuss firmly against my shoulder and aimed down the sights as I inched up the walkway. If any daedra was foolish enough to walk in front of its sights, they would be in for quite the surprise. Thankfully though, I encountered no resistance.

Sin and Perennia reached the top of their walkway as well and we stepped onto the second floor at the same time. As was the case on the first floor, no a soul was there. However, from the floor above, Perennia, Sin, and I could hear the sound of armored footsteps. "If we sneak up the next set of stairs quietly, we might be able to make a surprise ambush."

Nodding in agreement, we took the same way up to the next floor. We made sure to tread lightly as not to make any noise to alert the enemy of our presence. Unfortunately, that was not the case, and a particularly loud footstep (from myself, no less) echoed loud enough to call the attention of a single Dremora. When he turned the corner and saw me, I was left with no choice but to fire my weapon and kill him, ruining any chance of stealth we had.

The voiced of Dremora sounded from the floor above. "Intruders!" shouted one of them. "Kill them!" Suddenly, the roar of armored footsteps came stampeding out of the room and toward my position. With my weapon already at aim, I cocked a fresh shell into the chamber and began to fire at every daedra that came into view. With each bang of Blunderbuss, another bloody body fell clattering to the floor and lifelessly rolled down the stairwell.

Once it seemed that all the daedra had been slain, I walked the remaining distance to the top of the second stairwell. Perennia and Sin seemed standing in wait of my arrival, both their shoulders heaving from a sudden and strenuous fight. The blades of Perennia's glass swords seemed covered in the black blood of Dremora.

"I see you were able to handle yourself in a fight well enough, Milady," I commented aloud. "It is a shame I was not there to witness it."

"Oh, do not worry yourself," she said in-between heaving breaths and with a slight grin on her face, "you will see me in combat soon enough.

I believe the next floor will lead to the connector to the main tower and to the Sigillum Sanguis. Let us not waist any more time." With that, we walked up to the next floor and, sure enough, there was a door to our left as we entered the room.

Opening the door and stepping back outside, we were once again struck with the blistering heat of the molten seas. The bridge was about fifty yards long and it connected to the taller main tower. As we ventured across, a flash of white light came from my right. Turning to the source, I witnessed a volley of seven bolts of mage lightning streaking toward us, casted from a small group of Dremora mages (characterized by the robes they wore.) Thankfully, Sin reacted quickly, and casted a shield of mana in between us and the lightning. Only when the bolts struck the shield did they erupt in booming thunder.

When Sin released the shield, I retaliated with magic of my own. Drawing from the immense amount of natural mana around me, I fired powerful bolts of _purple_ lightning from each my palms. The bolts struck the group of mages in its very center and the limp bodies of slain daedra were once more flung into the air.

Finally making our way across the bridge and entering the main tower, an awesome sight laid before my eyes: on a small pedestal like structure on the floor above was a small black orb which emanated fire from every inch of its surface. It was a Sigil Stone, much like the one Perennia had shown me before. Stairs on our left and right led to a catwalk that would allow us to approach the stone.

We took the stairs on our right and when we poked our heads up the stairs, we were met with the sight of both Dremora and Scamp alike, all expecting our arrival. In a near foolhardy manner, Perennia was the first to confront the daedra, charging forward and slicing at their limbs with great speed and agility. I engaged the daedra as well, firing shell after shell from Blunderbuss. Sin took on our enemies as well with levitation magic, lifting them off the ground and slamming against walls and ceiling with bone shattering force.

Once all had been vanquished and we had sheathed our weapons, Perennia slowly began to approach the stone. The look upon her face _clearly_ showed some sort of nervousness. Taking a deep breath in, she reached out with her right arm and grasped the sigil stone in her palm. She clearly winced from pain when she touched it, but pushing through it, she began to chant something in a very strange language. Then, with one final grunt of force, she jerked the orb from its place.

An instant later, a column of fire shot from the pedestal, through the open roof of the tower, and into the hellish skies above. The ground suddenly began to shake violently and the flames quickly engulfed the entire sky. A blinding light then suddenly overtook us and once it dissipated, we found ourselves back in Cyrodiil.

o0o

Looking back at the Oblivion gate, we watched as the flames began to rapidly wither away and the stone border crumbled into sand. The blood red skies began to fade away, revealing a night sky full of stars. The chaos of the gate seemed to gently die off, leaving the quite peace that once existed in its place.

I turned back to Perennia, who held the black glass orb in her hand. She gazed into the sphere with a certain amazement: a portal to another _world_ was once harnessed with this simple orb. "You performed admirably in combat, Perennia," I said to her.

Finally lifting her eyes from the orb, she replied with a "Thank you," accompanying it with the slightest of blushes.

I then turned to Sin. "You fought well also, Sin," I complemented, "for one who possess no true _offensive_ abilities."

"Well," said Sin, "one does not need offensive spells to _be _offensive. You saw how I was able to toss around our foes like mere dolls, yes?" I nodded. "Well, that is _nothing_ compared to what _else_ I can do."

"How so?" I asked.

Holding out one of his hands, Sin produced a small bubble shield that about the size of a marble. "Imagine _this_," he said, "summoned within the very center of your head. The suddenly, it's is grown," and he expanded the orb to the size of a dinner plate in a split second. "It usually rips it open like a rotten pumpkin. It is rather spectacular to witness."

My instant told me to take a step back but I didn't. "… Well, I'll make sure never to piss you off then," I joked.

Sin laughed. "A fair lesson to learn…"


	15. Anvil

Chapter 14: Anvil

After the events of closing the Oblivion gate, an almost unanimous decision was made: we would leave the area before nightfall to avoid the villagers of Kvatch. As distasteful as it may seem, the fellowship and I knew that if we stayed where we were, the thankful villagers would come in _droves_ to thank us, praise us, and offer gifts of gratitude. If _that _happened, we would _never_ be able to sleep.

With that intent, we rode a short distance of about two miles before we made camp. We did not bother in setting up a fire for we knew that we would be sleeping immediately.

o0o

Two and a half weeks of travel seemed to pass by quickly. With no villages or towns along the way, we truly had no need to stop. Much of our time was spent atop our horses, following the road as it snaked West. Near the end of our travel between towns, Garothmuk had foolishly eaten a plant that he _through_ resembled an editable plant in his homeland. Only when his throat swelled up and nearly caused him to stop breathing did we find out that what he ate was poison ivy.

After said two and a half week travel, the city of Anvil finally came within sight. We rode out from the forest North of the city. It appeared perhaps an hour's ride in the distance. A semi-circle wall surrounded the city, each end reaching out into the ocean. A prominent lighthouse sat alone on a small island just off the main coast.

As we continued down the trail, down the gently sloping hill and toward Anvil, I looked to the faces of the others for their reaction to finally reaching our destination. While everyone seemed pleased, Garothmuk seemed the most of all; his eyes seemed to be lit up like candles.

"Garothmuk," I said to him, catching his attention, "_you_ seem rather uplifted."

He gave a soft chuckle. "This is the first time I have ever laid eyes on the ocean," he explained.

"Ever?" repeated Perennia. "In your whole life?"

"Indeed. I have _heard_ of the ocean through the stories of travelers and through illustrations, but this will be my first _in person_ experience." He took a deep breath and exhaled. "The air smells with salt. Then it must be true: the ocean truly _is_ of salt water!"

"Wait until you _taste_ it," I joked. "Your joyous disposition of it may be changed."

When the forest eventually dissipated and ended, Dar'Raskar was forced to come down from the trees and walk amongst us. We approached the gates and upon revealing all our identities, we were allowed within the walls of Anvil.

Anvil was foremost a fishing village, much like Karthor Oale. A great stone dock was built along the shoreline with many wooden docks reaching out from it. It seemed that many ships were docked today and the activity throughout was eventful.

After we hitched our horses off at a stable near the North gate, Perennia called the group together to discuss what would be done next. "Ok," she began, "if what was said was true, Emperor Martin is in Anvil. We must make haste and find him. We will stay in one group for this search (unlike our search for the thieves in Skingrad) but our strategy will remain the same. Ask everyone you can if they know of the location of Emperor Martin. Understood?"

Everyone confirmed with a nod of their heads.

Just as we were about to head off and begin our search, a city guard hailed us over. "You there," he said as we approached, "I could not help but overhear. What business have you with Emperor Martin?"

Perennia stepped forward. "We must speak to him at once," she stated boastfully. "It is of grave importance that we see him."

"And _who_ may you be?" the guard asked, skeptical of the girl's tone. "I cannot simply allow _anyone_ to know of the Emperor's whereabouts."

"Ah, so you _do_ know where the Emperor is then?" she exclaimed, catching the guard's blunder.

He quickly became flustered. "I- No, what I meant was- Who in Oblivion are you?"

"_I_," replied Perennia, "am the Protector of Kvatch, she who has been destined to repel the impending invasion of Cyrodiil! If you continue to impede us, you only bring the invasion that much closer to fruition!"

Perennia spoke with such viciousness and determination that it came as a shock to everyone. The now frightened guard was left frozen. "V- Very well," the guard finally stuttered, "I will tell you of the Emperor's location… He came here about a week ago and has not left since. He currently resides in The Count's Arms, the inn located in the western part of the city. If you are to find him anywhere, it would be there."

Giving the guard a smile and nod of the head as a thanks, Perennia turned back to the group and I. "Well then, shall we go?" she said cheerfully before heading West.

"Perennia," I said as we began to follow, "where in Oblivion did you learn to interrogate in such a manner?"

"… From _you_, Nerevar," she replied.

_Great. Without even knowing it, I've been teaching her._

A short walk brought us to the inn in question: The Count's Arms. Entering from the front door entered into the dimly lit pub which, at this hour in the afternoon, was quite empty. The sudden arrival of six heavily armed persons caught the immediate attention of the High Elf bartender.

"Uh, welcome," he greeted nervously. "What can I do for you?"

"We wish to speak with Emperor Martin," demanded Perennia. "We _know_ he resided in this inn."

"I… I do not know what you are talking about," replied the bartender (in a poor attempt in lying.) "Perhaps you have been misinformed-"

"_We_ have not," Perennia, "but _you_ are attempting to do so (rather feebly, I might add.) End this pointless debate and just lead us to him!"

Before the bartender could once again attempt to persuade us that Martin was not here, the sound of footsteps came from the stairs to our right, followed by the joyful exclamation of "Perennia?"

Everyone's eyes shot to the stairwell where, as luck would have it, Martin himself had appeared. With an elated smile on his face, he walked the rest of the way down (while giving the bartender a subtle but stern glance.)

"Perennia!" he said with earnest joy, "it is good to see you again! I must say, I was not expecting you to be here. And Nerevar! A pleasure to see you as well."

I gave a quick bow, replying with, "It is a pleasure for I as well."

Slowly but surely, Martin's eyes shifted to those who stood behind Perennia and I: Dar'Raskar, Sin, Raven, and Garothmuk. "Hmm," he began, "and who may these people be, Perennia?"

"Emperor Martin, I believe this conversation would be best continued _elsewhere_… away from uninvited guests," said Perennia, pointing her eyes over her right shoulder and toward the bartender.

"… I see," Martin replied at length. "Everyone, follow me upstairs to my room. It will be secure there."

The group and I followed Martin up the stairs and to his quarters. Naturally, he had the largest of rooms in the Inn, but even still, the conditions were somewhat confined. Still, the decor within was lavish and extravagant as one would expect royalty to surround themselves with. Once everyone was able to get inside and the door was locked behind us, Martin began.

"Before _you_ begin, Perennia," he said to her, "please, introduce to me your company."

"Of course," she replied and she began to name off everyone from left to right. "The Orc is Garothmuk, a fierce and skilled swordsman. The elf is Raven, a archer of unrivaled skill. You already know Zaden… The one to his left is Sin, a former servant of Mehrunes Dagon who _now_ serves Azura. Finally, the Khajiit is Dar'Raskar, a warrior of stealth."

Martin gave everyone a single bow. "A pleasure to meet you all," he said, then taking a seat a chair of red satin. "Now, with formalities done with, please, Perennia, what is it you wish to tell me?"

She paused. "It pertains to the appearance of Oblivion gates across Cyrodiil, your bloodline… and more importantly, your _father_, Uriel Septim VII."

At the mention of the late Emperor, Martin gave a sharp inhale. "… I see," he cautiously replied. "Please, do tell." I could hear the tension in his voice spike.

"Very well," said Perennia. "You see, Emperor Martin, your bloodline (the bloodline of the Septims,) is in fact an ancient covenant between the Cyrodillic Empire and Akatosh. In this covenant, as long as one of the Septim bloodline, one of the 'Dragonblood,' sits upon the Ruby Throne of Cyrodiil, Akatosh shall protect it from the forces from the planes of Oblivion. This is represented by the ritual of the lighting of the Dragonfires.

With the sudden death of Uriel Septim VII, there is now none of the royal bloodline on the throne. So, as of now, the covenant remains broken, allowing beings of Oblivion to enter Mundus...

To mend the covenant, Emperor Martin, you must return with us back to the Imperial City so that you may light the Dragonfires and restore order. If not done quickly, we believe that even _more_ gates to the Deadlands will open, and if left unchecked… the barriers between Tamriel and Oblivion will be broken forever…"

"Hmm…" Martin said to himself, his face showing clear shock. "Are you certain of this?"

"We think unquestionably so," she replied with a nod.

"…What is this 'we' you speak of?" Martin asked.

"A council," Perennia answered, "consisting of the leaders of the major guilds and legions in Cyrodiil. Based upon the information we had at the time and consolting ancient and sacred texts, this was what was concluded upon."

Martin became silent in thought once again. "Wait, am I not Emperor _now_? Is the covenant not mended?"

"No. Until the ceremony of lighting the Dragonfires is complete, you have not been _crowned_ Emperor."

He paused once more.

"… When can we set off?" he finally asked at length.

Perennia smiled. "Whenever you see fit, Emperor," she replied, "though I must insist that we leave as soon as possible."

Slowly lifting himself from the chair, the Emperor put a grin on his face. "I suppose there's no room for debate, is there?" he joked rhetorically. "Well, I suppose I can leave within the hour. I will have some of my personal guards pack the carriage for me and we can then head off."

"… _Carriage_?" asked Garothmuk suddenly. "What _carriage_?"

o0o

The carriage, in question, was housed in the stable on the opposite side of the city the group and I housed _our_ horses. To start, it was large, enough to house four individuals comfortably inside. You would think that the carriage of royalty would be lavishly decorated, but this was painted a simple black with black curtains strung on the windows. Two strong paint horses were attached to its reins. A single boy, probably no more than seventeen years of age, held the reins.

"_That_? You have to travel around in _that_?" Garothmuk asked regretfully and in disbelief.

"Yes," answered Martin casually, not catching the Orc's tone of voice. "I have taken this everywhere I have traveled. I believe it is _customary_ for the Emperor to travel as such."

"No offence, your Majesty, but this thing is just begging to be robbed."

Martin lifted his gaze off the carriage and onto the Orc. "What do you mean?"

"Think about it: If you can afford to travel in such a manner, chances are that you _yourself_ are quite wealthy and, as such, are a _prime_ target for bandits and thieves."

Dar'Raskar gave an agreeing nod. "Garothmuk is correct," the Khajiit agreed. "As thief, Khajiit rob many carriages in work. Emperor puts self in danger by travel in carriage."

"But it is tradition that I-"

"_Tradition_," I interjected, "is defined only by those who follow it. Nothing is forcing you to travel in this horse drawn carriage. I- No _we_ think it better if a more inconspicuous mode of travel be taken, Emperor."

Emperor Martin looked back to the carriage for a few seconds before looking back to us. "Hmm… perhaps you are right," he finally admitted. "If you believe it safer, I will travel in a less… obvious manner." He turned back to the boy who still held the reins of the carriage. "Boy," he said to him as he reached into a pocket of his robe, retrieving a small bag of coins, and placing it into his hands, "take this and find a trade convoy heading to the Imperial City. Integrate with them _only_ if they do not take main roads. You will be safe amongst them.

I bless thee on your journey, young one."

With a smile and nod, the boy whipped the leather reins and headed out the eastern gate out of Anvil. Once out of sight, Martin returned his back to the fellowship and I. "I _do_ hope he returns safely," he reflected aloud. "Now then, I suppose I should find a horse. Please, show me to the stable _your_ horses are in."

We returned to the stable near the North gate and retrieved our horses. Martin, using his statue, was able to purchase a black horse (known for their speed) for himself. Once everyone seemed prepared to leave, Perennia called everyone in close once more to discuss their next course of action.

"Our plan for our return to the Imperial City is rather simple," she explained. "Now that we have Emperor Martin with us, there should be no reason for delay. Our journey _here_ took about two months time. I believe if we quicken our pace, we can return in the time of one and a half months."

"That does seem within the realm of possibility," added Raven, "but it would mean no distractions. So Zaden, while it may upset you, this would mean that we will not have time to visit your mother."

"Oh, think nothing of it," I replied. "If anything, she has already moved her lair elsewhere. It will be unlikely we will come across here _again_."

"Even still," continued Perennia, "our stops must be limited. Stops in villages or cities will need to be shortened to half a day before we… head off and…" He voice seemed to trail off.

"Is something that matter?" I asked her.

"… The sky…" she said in a dreamlike state.

Instantly, we all lifted out gaze to the sky above. To all our great fear and dread, massive red clouds began to rapidly blanket the sky and the flashes of lightning and the booming of thunder filled the air.

"An Oblivion gate!" Perennia suddenly exclaimed. "A gate is opening!"

A sudden tremor violently shook to the North. The sounds of crumbling earth came from just outside the northern wall. "That gate is opening just outside the city!" Perennia said. "Quickly, through the gate, everyone!"

The tremors suddenly intensified and the wall itself shattered and fell right before our eyes, revealing the flaming Oblivion gate beyond it. From its flames emerged a group of five Scamps, their fiery eyes instantly resting upon us, the first mortals they saw. They charged us as a group, their claws flared and teeth bared in a vicious manner. However, before they could get within reach, Sin cast a powerful telekinetic spell toward them and the attackers were sent flying into the air.

Making our way over the pile of debris that was once the wall, we slowly approached the gate, the radiant heat both hostile and familiar. "Everyone!" Perennia announced. "We will split up once more. It will be the same as last time: Sin, Zaden, and I will enter and close the gate from within while Dar'Raskar, Raven, and Garothmuk stay outside and defend against any more daedra that pass through."

Suddenly, Emperor Martin stepped forward. "_I_ will enter as well," he declared.

Everyone turned to him in shock. "You are joking?" Perennia asked. "It is too dangerous for you to enter! You must be kept alive so the Dragonfires be lit!"

"I _must_ enter," he then declared. "I must see from where these scourges that attack my kingdom come from. I must witness it for myself. I _will_ enter the Oblivion gate… and _you_ must protect me."

Perennia was about to protest once more but she suddenly stopped when she saw Garothmuk take a step forward. "If he enters, I will be there to protect him," he said.

"As will I," added Raven.

"As will Khajiit," Dar'Rasker chimed in.

Seeing everyone's sudden show of commitment made Perennia grin. Turning to Sin, the only one who had not stepped forward, she asked him "Will you enter as well?"

"No," Sin replied. "_Someone_ has to say outside the gate and defend. I can hold my ground, I assure you.

Everyone," he said, now addressing the group as a whole, "keep your wits about you when within the Deadlands. They are a treterous place that could spell certain death to those who do not pay heed to what is around them. Zaden and Perennia, this should come as no surprise to you, but for the others, heed those words well."

Everyone gave confirming nods back as they turned to face the Oblivion gate. "Perennia," I said to her, "I suggest that you, Raven and I enter first and make sure that the area is safe. The other should enter perhaps a few minutes later."

Perennia replied with an "Agreed" before beckoning Raven over to her side. Seeing as everyone heard what I had just said, Perennia found no need to repeat it. In unison, we three approached the gate and plunged ourselves into the flames.

o0o

My body was once again touched by the now hauntingly familiar heat of the Deadlands. My neck and brow wasted no time in producing sweat. Entering such a place again was like relieving a bad dream. "The sooner we get out of this place," I thought to myself, "the better."

By some stroke of luck, after passing through the Oblivion gate, Perennia, Raven, and I were met with no resistance. Being Raven's first experience of the Deadlands, the wide-eyes look on her face conveyed her shock rather well. "Holy…" she whispered aloud. "This place is unreal!"

"Remember what was said, Raven," said Perennia. "Danger lurks in all shadows of the Deadlands. Keep your wits about you." Raven replied with a nod.

It would be another few minutes before Garothmuk, Dar'Raskar, and Emperor Martin appeared through the fiery gate. The look on Garothmuk's face was priceless as well. It seemed an instant after he entered, sweat began to pour down his face, his breaths becoming heavier. "Holy shit," the Orc blurted out. "How can anyone live in this environment?"

I looked to Dar'Rasker for his reaction to this place… only to find that he was without one. His face retained a calm, stone look. "Dar'Rasker, I said, grabbing his attention, "are you not effected by such a place?"

"Khajiit _is_," he replied, "but Khajiit cannot allow it to affect Khajiit."

"Why is that?" I asked.

"Khajiit cannot let emotions get better of Khajiit. Khajiit remain resolute."

I had to say that I admired his confidence (as odd as it was.) Even when thrust into such adverse situations, Dar'Raskar made it a point to keep his composure. However, whether or not his determination would amount to any results was another story entirely.

Emperor Martin's reaction, however, was the most extreme of all. In truth, I had not noticed anything until I heard Raven exclaim "Emperor!" worriedly. I whipped around to see the Emperor had fallen to his knees, his eyes fixed upon the distant sight: the main obelisk where the Sigillum Sanguis was housed. The structure seemed to overlook us atop its position on the peak of a steep hill. A single straight path led to the tower's door.

Emperor Martin's eyes seemed unmovable from the sight of the tower, his mouth agape and hung open. The weight of his emotions suddenly forced him to fall to his hands. Perennia ran over to him, asking "What is wrong, Emperor?"

"… Incredible," he whispered aloud. "To think the enemies of my providence come from such a place… It is hard to believe such a place _exists_…"

"Emperor," said Perennia, "you must remain here while the others and I go ahead and deactivate the barrier. Dar'Raskar, Garothmuk, remain here and defend the Emperor."

While the two gave confirming nods, Emperor Martin suddenly shot back to his feet. "No," he boldly stated, "I will travel with your group, Perennia. I must witness the ferocity of the beings that destroyed Kvatch with my own eyes."

"With all due respect, Martin," I said as I took a step forward, "you are far too valuable for you to risk your life in such a manner. I side with Perennia. You must remain here."

Suddenly, the Emperor's eyes turned to fire and they locked onto mine. "That is _Emperor_ Martin, Nerevar, and I **_command_** that I travel along with the group that breaks the bond between dimensions!"

"Be you Emperor or not," I shot back, "you are insisting on _suicide_!"

Before Martin could make a counter, Garothmuk suddenly walked between the Emperor and myself, pushing each other away with the great strength of his arms. "Gentlemen," he said, "let us not bicker on such things. Allow me to arbitrate… The Emperor will come with us-"

"Garothmuk!" I exclaimed, "Are you mad-?"

"If we are all confident in our fighting skills and abilities," he continued, "than I am sure that we can _all _defend _one_ person, can we not?"

After a brief pause, a nod from everyone (myself included) confirmed the Orc's arbitration. "Then it is settled: Emperor Martin will enter the tower with us, but will stay with us at all times."

When everyone agreed, we made our slow way up the single path to the tower. Being it such an incline, it made walking much more difficult. Halfway up (which was about five minutes later), Garothmuk began with the complaints. "This heat is inhuman!" he groaned.

"Coming from one that wears his own weight in _armor_," I joked back, receiving suppressed chuckles from the others.

"Hey!" he shot back, sounding almost hurt. "This armor _protects_ me, keeps me _alive_, makes me _strong_," then beating his fist on the chest plate. "If I took this armor off, _sure_ I would be a bit cooler, and _yes_, I would perhaps move a bit faster, but-"

"Then why do you not remove it?" I asked.

"Two reasons: one, I do not want to _die_, and second… you would not wish to see what lies underneath…"

Everyone seemed to stop in their tracks and we slowly turned to see the now vulnerable look on the Orc's face. He lowered his eyes to the charred ground in some sort of embarrassment. "Why is that?" asked Perennia with genuine concern.

"… It matters not," he replied. "Perhaps when we get out of this _oven_, I will explain myself, but for now, there is a gate that needs closing."

Five more minutes of travel brought us to the front gate of the demonic tower. Without being told, Martin moved himself behind everyone. Once everyone had their weapons at ready: my Blunderbuss, Dar'Raskar's throwing knives, Raven's bow, Perennia's dual broadswords, and Garothmuk's two claymores, I channeled a great portion of the natural mana about me and released a potent bolt of lightning from my fin gertips and splintered the door into sawdust.

We stormed the tower in a single glorious charge.

Those daedra that were foolish enough to be standing near the door when the blast erupted were already lying dead on the ground, shards of metal and wood peppering their entire bodies. Garothmuk charged onto point and began hacking at the daedra that stood before him, Perennia joining him immediately after. Raven and I aimed our ranged weapons at the walkways above, firing and picking off any dremora that looked down on us. Dar'Raskar ran his way around the perimeter of the room, throwing his throwing knives with pinpoint accuracy at the jugulars of those daedra that remained standing, spilling more black blood onto the ground.

The entire encounter lasted a grand total of twenty seconds. In that time, thirty Dremora (warriors and mages alike) were slain, their bodies now making the new ironclad carpet that adorned the floor and their blackened blood now the fresh paint on the walls. When all hostiles were slain, Emperor Martin inched his way into the room with eyes wide open, in complete and utter shock of our display of might.

Dar'Raskar was the first to speak after the fight. "Is Emperor ok?" he asked Martin.

He was too in shock to respond. It took a firm shake of his left shoulder by Garothmuk to release him from his trace. "Y- Yes," he finally replied. "I am uninjured… I just… That was…"

"Awe-inspiring?" Garothmuk joked as he swung the blood off one of his swords with a heavy downward swing of his arm, then doing it with the other.

Martin forced a laugh as he replied, "In a manner of speaking..." Before he could continue, the sound of a mass of armored footfalls came from the floor above us.

"Well," said the Orc, "prepared to be inspired some more because inspiration comes this way!" With only one stairwell connecting the first floor to the second, the incoming daedra would be funneled into a single bottleneck. With all our weapons trained onto that single opening, the outcome of the battle was obvious.

Stepping over the fresh pile of bloody daedra, everyone walked to the second floor of the tower. From here, we could look up and see the platform where the sigil stone was held. Walking up the last walkway and reaching the top and final floor, the stone hovered before us as if _waiting_ for us.

Perennia approached and commenced with her act of removing the stone. She placed her hand on its surface and began to chant the same Daedric words. With a forceful grunt, the stone was released… but something was amiss. When I _first_ saw a sigil stone removed from the Sigillum Sanguis, a great column of fire rose into the sky and filled it with flame. This time… none of that occurred.

"… What is going on here?" Perennia exclaimed. "We should have been sent back to Mundus already!"

"Why has it not done anything?" I asked.

Suddenly, a thunderous boom from the sky sent everyone's eyes upward toward the open roof. The fiery red clouds above rapidly shifted to a pitch black color and the thunder and lightning stopped, casting everything into an eerie silence. Then, from the blackness of the sky, two great red eyes, like that of a demon, opened and looked down on us.

"_Your existence_," said a deep, chilling voice from the clouds, "_is bothersome… Your closing of my gates only prolongs the inevitable… I will not allow you to impede my work any further… You must die…_"

_Dagon…_

"The gate!" I yelled. "We must go through the gate! It is the only way out!"

And so we began to run. As fast as we could, we ran down the twisting stairwells to the ground floor, out through the shattered doorway and down the steep hill. With the Oblivion gate in sight, our minds became fixated upon that one destination: nothing else could distract us.

As we all stumbled down the hill, nearly tripping over ourselves, a deafening rumble sounded from behind us. I looked back only once to see what caused such noise… I wish I had not. The blackened clouds in the sky took the shape of a mighty hand, reached downward, and raced toward us at tremendous speed.

Turning back, the gate was but a step away. It seemed that we all leapt into the gate at the same moment… But as I did, I felt an incredible force strike me in my back. As my world went black, as we went in-between worlds, the haunting voice from the clouds spoke into my mind.

"_Though you death I cannot yet cause_," it said, "_I **can** be the harbinger of your undoing…_"

o0o

I came tumbling out of the gate and onto the other side, rolling once or twice before finally coming to a halt. Rain water fell onto my hot skin, instantly cooling me off from the heat of the Deadlands. Groaning myself to my feet, I looked behind me to see that Perennia' Emperor Martin, and the others had all come through and were doing the same as I did (groaning to their feet.)

As I help the others to their feet, a realization came upon me. "Why is it raining?" I asked myself aloud. It was a cloudless day when we entered the gate and since we had been within for little more than an hour or so, a storm could not have developed so quickly. As I looked to the others, they seemed to be just as confused as I was.

As our eyes slowly turned back to the city of Anvil, we were all met with a discouraging sight: the entire city had been reduced to nothing but flattened piles of blackened, charred rubble. The docks were gone, the masts of sunken ships poked out from the shallow waters, the wall was crushed into a long perimeter of dust, and not a single discernable building was left standing. All that was Anvil was now dead.

"By Azura's graces," Raven whispered in shock, "how could this have happened? We were in there but an hour's time… Something is amiss…"

Then, from the sound of falling rain, the thuds of galloping horses approached from behind. Quickly whipping around, we were all met by the site of Imperial Legion cavalry, armor clad and the points of ther spears drawn toward us. They surrounded us in an instant.

"What be you?" demanded one of the horsemen. "Friend or foe?"

"Friend," Perennia replied at once. "We are the protectors of this man here: Emperor Martin," she said as she pointed to Martin.

The horseman straddled to the first's left then spoke. "Lies!" he exclaimed. "They appeared from the gate, therefor making them our enemies!"

"Use your eyes, you thick-headed Imperial!" Garothmuk growled. "Do we _look_ like daedra to you?"

"It is a trick!" he shot back. "Merely shrouds to deceive us. Kill them!"

A new voice suddenly surrounded behind the two. "You shall do no such thing!" he demanded.

Moving apart, Sin revealed himself and walked into the rind of horsemen that surrounded us, placing himself between the two that spoke to us. "They are Perennia, Nerevar, their allies, and _Emperor Martin_. You shall not harm a hair on their head!"

Slowly but surely, the points of their spears were lifted toward the sky and away from our bodies. "That… That cannot be," said the same horseman. "Are you… Are you seven those who entered the gate that long while ago?"

"Yes, we did enter the gate and we succeeded in removing the sigil stone from- Wait, that is meant by 'long while?'"

Sin turned around to face us, revealing the worried look on his face. "You jest, Perennia?" he asked in concern.

"N- No," she replied in confusion. "Why would I?"

The daedra paused. "Perennia, Zaden, _everyone_… It has been seven month's time sunce you entered the gate."

I could not believe my ears. "Seven _months_?" I exclaimed.

"Y- Yes," said the first horseman. "You entered the gate seven months ago and did not seem to return. In that time, more and more daedra emerged from the other side and proceeded to destroy more and more of Anvil. We and other soldiers were able to fight off each and every onslaught, but as time went by, more and more of Anvil was destroyed until now… Now, there is nothing _left_ to destroy."

Pure shock came upon Perennia's face. She turned back to look upon the destruction of Anvil. At that moment, it was hard to tell if the water that fell from her eyes was of rainfall or tears. "Seven months…" she whispered to herself.

"Please," said the horseman, "you are all drenched and _clearly_ exhausted from your time on the other side of that gate. Please, follow us to our camp. We can offer you a tent for the night as well as some rations."

It took Perennia a few seconds before she could rip her eyes away from the late city. "Of course," she finally choked out. "Lead the way."

o0o

A large tent was offered by the horsemen. It was spacious and elevated enough for us to afford lighting a small fire from within it (small holes in the ceiling helped ventilate smoke.) A meal of venison stew was graciously provided by some of the legion soldiers. It was cheap and near tasteless, but filling, and for _that_ we could not complain.

As we ate, our conversation eventually shifted to our apparent seven month absence (filling in Sin with the details as we went along). "I still do not understand it," Perennia said at one point, her eyes glued to the flames. "Our travel in-between the Deadlands and this realm should have been instantaneous. To have it be this long… What could have caused this?"

"Not _what_," I said, "_who_… As we ran back to the gate, the clouds formed to the shape of an arm and hand and reached down to grasp us. I believe it succeeded in doing so, but only as we entered the gate. At that point, the only thing it could do was delay out arrival back to Mundus."

Sin nodded in concurrence. "That _is_ within the grasp of Mehrunes Dagon's power. However, why did he not simply _kill_ you?" he asked.

"Well, did anyone else not here the parting words of the voice from the clouds?" I asked everyone. No one spoke. "I heard it speak to me. It said 'Though your deaths I cannot yet cause, I can be the harbinger of your undoing…' Whatever his reasons were, he could not kill us _then_. Now the question is-"

"When _will_ he be able to do so?" finished Perennia in a whisper.

A silence was shared between everyone. They only sounds that were now made were that of water dripping on the roof of the tent and the soft hiss and crackle of the fire. I looked to Perennia's saddened expression and, hidden deep beneath it, I saw something _else_: there was the slightest sliver of pain. I was an inch from asking if something was the matter, but I was interrupted by Garothmuk suddenly turning himself around and away from the fire, spreading his sleeping bag out, and beginning the process of taking off his armor.

_"Then why do you not remove it?" I asked._

_"Two reasons: one, I do not want to die, and second… you would not wish to see what lies underneath…"_

That short exchange of words between myself and Garothmuk suddenly raced back into my mind. Before, he acted so reluctant in revealing what lied beneath the armor he so adamantly wore. Now, he seemed willing to shed it from his person in full view of everyone. Looking to the others, their eyes told me that they were thinking exactly what _I_ was.

"G- Garothmuk?" I said hesitantly. "Are you going to… actually remove your armor?"

With his back still turned to everyone, he gave a nod. "Indeed," he replied solemnly. "I think it is time you learned _more_ of my upbringing." Untying pieces of cloth under the armpit that kept the front and back of the chest armor in place, the orc lifted it over his helmet, revealing an old, sweat stained gray undershirt beneath. "What I said before was true: the circumstances of my birth and joining with a group of Blades soldiers… However, one detail about said Blades I have left out until now." Grabbing his shirt, he lifted it over his head, revealing the skin beneath…

Like something out of the occult.

His entire back seemed to be striped and torn by deep, permanent scars and lacerations, all inflicted by bladed weapons. Garothmuk pivoted himself around to face the fire and everyone else. His chest and stomach were just as damaged, if not more.

Gasps came from both Perennia and Raven. Sharp inhales of breath came from Sin, Emperor Martin, and myself. Dar'Raskar was affected as well, but all that was shown from him was a slight widening of his feline eyes.

"By the Gods!" Martin exclaimed. "What sort of monsters did this to you."

The Orc paused. "The very Blades that took me in," he answered. "Yes, they taught me the way of the sword and yes, sculpted me into the warrior you see today… but their methods of _punishment_ when I failed were anything but humane. When I made a blunder on _anything_, it constituted the cut of a blade against my skin. They made sure to heal me afterward so I did not lose too much blood and die, but the pain lingered long after. Eventually, the decided on not healing my wounds all together, leaving me with the scars I bare today."

Garothmuk paused once more, lowering his gaze to the fire. "… For everything they did that I praise them for, I curse them for as well…"

Silence was once again held between everyone. No one dared to speak after the Orc's terrifying confession. At great length, Emperor Martin shifted his sitting position and finally worked the courage to be the first to speak.

"Garothmuk," he said, causing the Orc to lift his gaze, "I know that nothing I can say will ever take away from the pain you have endured all those years, but… I deeply apologize for the actions of those Blades."

Surprisingly, a confused look formed on Garothmuk's face. "Why would _you_ apologize?" he asked Martin. "_You_ did nothing. It was _they_ that scarred my flesh."

"Yes, while that may be true, as Emperor, the needs and sufferings of my people, wherever they may be, fall under my rule. It… It just comes as such a shock to me that even in this empire that my bloodline has spent generations perfecting, such lawlessness and evil resides within it. I just cannot help but feel responsible about-"

Martin's heartfelt words were suddenly cut short by a blurted chuckle from Garothmuk, who had now formed a smile on his lips. "Apologize?" he asked genially. "Emperor, not a few months ago, you knew not that such blood flowed in your veins. Now that it had become known to you, you suddenly put generations of guilt upon your shoulders?

Pardon me for saying so, Emperor, but that is fucking _stupid_."

The Emperor blinked.

"Why put such burden on yourself? You had no way of knowing of my suffering, so why act as if you are to blame? Emperor, let not _my_ suffering be _yours_."

Emperor Martin Septim blinked once more, stunned from the words of the Orc. Martin then seemed to lean back from his self imposed guilt, returning himself to a more relaxed state. "I- I suppose you are correct," Martin finally admitted. "I must say, Garothmuk, you speak rather… _bluntly_."

The Orc gave a chuckle. "I find that in most cases, straight talk is all that is needed. Politeness and formalities only hinder what we say when simple talk conveys much more effectively."

"I suppose," agreed the Emperor, "but still, many would not condone the free use of such language. Please, Garothmuk, just keep in mind exactly you speak to in the future."

As the two continued their conversation on the finer elements of word play and such, my eyes could not help but be drawn to the girl who sat across the fire from myself: Perennia. Something was (for lack of better word) _off_ with her. Before, I had noticed the slightest hint of a pained expression in her eyes, but there now seemed more to it. Every few seconds, she would shift and adjust her sitting position, as if no spot on the ground felt comfortable to her. Her distant eyes seemed to stare through the flames, her thoughts clearly focused on something else.

Eventually, I simply could no longer watch. I spoke up.

"Perennia?" I said, just loud enough to catch her attention (though she kept her eyes to the flames.) "Is something the matter?"

As if suddenly frightened, she lifted her head up in the blink of an eye and (rather loudly) replied, "Nothing!"

Needless to say, Perennia sudden outburst caught the attention of _everyone_, their eyes rapidly shifting to the now flushed girl. "Hmm?" asked Raven, who sat to her left. "What is nothing, Perennia?"

"N- Nothing," she repeated. "… Everyone, I have something to say… Though I still have not come to terms with it, but if, in fact, we have been in-between planes for seven months, this means that Mehrunes Dagon has had seven months to grow in power and do as he wishes. Though it seems that Dagon has not grown enough in power in order to dissolve the barrier between Mundus and Oblivion, seven months free of our intrusion has brought him that much closer.

That is why we must make great haste on our return journey. I shall reiterate what I have said before. There can be no extended stays in any city or town. If we must stop for things such as supplies and food, they we can only stay in the town for half a day _at the most_. No more time can be wasted.

Understood?"

Impressed with her show of enthusiasm, I smiled back. "Fair enough," I said. "We should not keep those in the Imperial City waiting…"

_Zela…_

With that, everyone began their processes of slipping into their sleeping bags and drifting off to slumber. I found it amusing that Dar'Raskar actually curled himself into a ball to sleep, as a real cat would. As I drifted off to sleep, for some reason, my mind seemed to linger on Perennia, and the pain in her face that fought so willfully to mask…

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Ok, I swear, I have some sort of ADD problem. Sure, the doctor diagnosed me as such, but I never thought it was actually something that truly effect me... until now. In all honesty, I could have had this chapter done at lease a week ago, but due to my now fully realized ADD, I've unnecessarily put it off for so long. I'd start to write but I'd instantly get distracted by watching anime and reading manga on the internet (yeah, that's right, what of it?) XD

But I digress... I'm sorry it took this long, people. I'll try to make a more concious effort in the future. There's still alot to be written and I don't want to delay it any further.

For those who continue to read, I thank you fully. The story will be completed, that much I can promise. Just be patient, young padawan...


	16. Unexpected

Chapter 16: Unexpected

True to Perennia's words, no time was spent idly. What moments were not spent atop our horses, following the main road eastward toward the Imperial City were spent doing _only_ what was vital: hunting for food, stocking up on supplies from traveling vendors whenever we were either in need or whenever they passed, or resting for the night, preparing for the _next_ day of travel.

Because of this, we covered more ground than I ever thought possible. The distance between Anvil and Skingrad, which took about two and a half weeks at our normal pace, we retook in about eight day's time, placing us about one more day's ride from the city itself.

We _planned_ on staying in Skingrad for but half a day's time…

o0o

The night before we would return to Skingrad, our camp for the night was set about a few hundred paces North of the road (as was per usual.) It had rained heavily earlier that day, so much remained wet or moist. Every now and then, as we sat around the fire and ate our supper, we could hear the water dripping off the high leaves and onto the ground (and sometimes ourselves.)

As we ate in relative silence (which was occasionally broken by random bursts of conversation amongst the group), my eyes and thoughts could not help but fall on Perennia and her growing condition. Before we left on our return journey, I had noticed a type of pain in her eyes, pain she took great measures to hide from everyone. While she seemed successful in fooling everyone else, _I_ was no fool.

At first, her pain seemed benign, perhaps incurring a cut, bruise, or scrape during battle, or perhaps pains of a more… _feminine_ nature… But during our travels, the pain did not seem to falter. Rather, it seemed too slowly grow in intensity. While all others remained blissfully aware of Perennia apparent suffering, I watched as with each passing day, Perennia suffered more and more.

Why did she not speak up? Consult someone as to what might be ailing her? Why was she repressing what was _clearly_ causing her such pain? Why had _no one_ noticed _anything_ was amiss?

On that night, I decided that I could no longer hold back my anger and, more so, my concern for Perennia's wellbeing. That night, I finally spoke up.

"Perennia," I said from what silence was held at that moment, "what is it that ails you?" I could not help my tone from becoming one of irritation rather than one of sympathy. "Please, if you cannot say it aloud to all of us, than please, speak it to someone in private, but please repress it no longer! You do only yourself harm by your apathy!"

All eyes but that of Perennia's turned to me with looks of stun. _Perennia's_ gaze, however, turned immediately to the ground.

"… Nerevar?" asked Emperor Martin, who sat to Perennia's right. "What was meant by all that?"

"Oh come now!" I exclaimed, finally feeling free enough to vent my internal anguish. "Have you not noticed her condition? Have I been the sole witness to the hurt she has endured over the last several days? Look at her, _truly_ look at her, and tell me _honestly _that she is in perfect health."

He did so. Asking Perennia to lift her head, she slowly lifted her face into the light of the fire. To my surprise, she looked worse than she had but a few minutes ago before she looked to the ground. Her normally fair skin had now turned livid and her face seemed to be holding back much more _obvious_ pain.

"P-Perennia?" Martin stuttered from shock. "You truly do not look well!"

Causing much concern from Raven, she asked Perennia to allow her to examine her visage. Her reaction was, as well, shocked. "Why did you not speak up?" she said fearfully. "Please, what ails you?"

"N-No," replied Perennia in a now sluggish, frail voice, "I am fine. Please, everyone, you need not worry about me. I believe that simply all this time traveling has caused me fatigue. Once we reach Skingrad, I shall get myself well rested and… And I will-"

In that next moment, I believed that my eyes were deceiving me, for I simply could not believe what they witnessed.

With an abrupt jerk forward, Perennia bent over forward and retched the contents of her stomach upon the ground. Everyone, myself included, shot to their feet, all sharing frightened looks. Raven seemed the most distraught of us all as she leaned over to her and frantically began pulling her hair behind her head. "Perennia?" she cried. "By the Gods, what is wrong!"

Uttering a deathly moan, Perennia repeated to us "I am fine," right before expelling what was left remaining within her stomach onto the ground. With that second display, Raven helped Perennia to her feet and she led her away from the fire and into a more secluded place in the forest, most likely to help her ailment.

With those two gone, Emperor Martin, Garothmuk, Sin, Dar'Raskar, and I were left to stand in astonishment around the fire, unsure as to what to make of this sudden turn of events. As we were left standing, our mouths open but unable to speak a word, we looked to each other for any sort of indication as to what the other thought. It was only until Emperor Martin spoke did communication of any sort commenced.

"You _knew_ of this, Nerevar, did you not?" he asked me from across the flames.

"Y-Yes, I did," I admitted, "but I thought it as a simply illness, something that would either be expelled with time or the practices of a healer. But as the day's went by, her condition grew worse and worse! I knew not what to do, so I remained silent, hoping (in vain, it would seem) that the problem would be solved on its own-

Wait a moment… Did _you_ not notice anything out of the ordinary?" I then turned my glare to the others. "Did **_anyone_** not notice a thing?"

When everyone's eyes slowly lowered to the grass, I knew their answer. "For ones that have sworn to protect Perennia," I continued, "you have failed to see her _own _anguish!"

"… Well," chimed in Garothmuk, breaking his silence, "if you knew all this time, why did _you_ not say anything? Are you, perhaps, connected to her illness?" His tone was one of accusation.

"How _could_ I be?" I shot back. "Besides, I have already answered that question: I believed that the problem would correct itself, so-"

"You did _nothing_!" he finished. "For one who scolded Perennia for her apathy of not revealing her condition, _you_ practice much apathy _yourself_!"

"You son of a bi-"

My words were suddenly cut off by the sound of approaching footsteps. Emerging from the darkness of the night, Perennia appeared with her eyes toward the ground and her hands clamped together in front of her. Raven appeared behind her, her left hand placed protectively on Perennia's right shoulder and grasping Blunderbuss in her right.

"… R-Raven?" I said as I took a step forward, "what are you doing with-"

Before my words could be finished and a second step taken, Raven suddenly brought the gun to aim, placing the aiming sights over my heart. "Not. Another. Step." she commanded.

With my body suddenly turned to ice, that command proved to be easy to follow. However, when she then commanded to walk backwards and sit down, my now trembling legs nearly caused me to stumble over.

"No one," Raven continued, "is to leave their seat. If anyone _does_ make any sort of sudden movement, I will _not_ hesitate to pull this trigger!"

No one dared move. There were now four of us that found ourselves at the end of Blunderbuss's barrel: from left to right, there sat Garothmuk, Dar'Raskar, myself, and Sin. For some reason, it seemed that we _all_ were the target of Raven's unexpected rage.

Just then, if either out of sheer bravery or stupidity, Emperor Martin shot to his feet. "Raven!" he said. "What be the meaning of this? Why do you have your allies at gunpoint?"

Surprisingly, despite her threat that any sudden movements would be met with gunshots, Raven kept the gun trained on us four, not lifting her eyes from down the aiming sights. "… Because," she slowly replied, "one of these four has committed an act of betrayal against this fellowship. One has gone against the oath they swore to uphold: the protection of Perennia."

"W- What does this mean? Someone is the cause of her illness? What has been done?"

She paused, lowering the aim of the gun just slightly.

"… Perennia," she replied, "is pregnant."

Library at the center of Nirn… Remember that sort of silence?

I do… And it is something no one should ever have to endure. It usually acts as the precursor to terrible things…

"P-Pregnant?" the Emperor blurted out, looking to Perennia, who sat quietly with her legs tucked to her chest. "Are you certain?"

Raven nodded in reply. "She is about two months along, meaning that one of these four _must_ be the father… I intend to find out who it is _tonight_."

"How is Perennia certain it is one of us four?" asked Dar'Raskar from his silence. "Perhaps Perennia lay with man in village?"

Blunderbuss was shoved back to aim once more, the bayonet now aimed at the Khajiit. "Silence yourself!" she spat. "This is the Savior of Kvatch you speak of: _Perennia_, she who is destined to rid Tamriel of the influence of Mehrunes Dagon. To suggest she would do as some common harlot would do is blasphemous!"

"Well why is Emperor not under aim of gun as well?" the Khajiit then asked.

"I have already said: Perennia is at least two _months_ along. Seeing as Martin has joined our group but eight days ago, he is clear of suspicion."

"H-How do you plan on figuring out the identity of the father?" Martin asked Raven, fearful of what her answer might be.

Choosing not to reply to him with words and with Blunderbuss still at aim, Raven approached the first in the line: Garothmuk. The Orc retained a straight face even with the gun's bayonet aimed directly to his forehead at a foot's distance. "You best have a good explanation to prove your innocence, Orc," she said to him, "or my finger might pull back on this trigger a _bit_ too far…"

To my amazement, the Orc maintained his stone-calm face. Looking her straight in the eye, he told her, "I did not lay with Perennia."

"And what proof have you, Orc?" Raven shot back.

Garothmuk smirked. "If I did to her what you imply," he said, "you would have known instantly… She would not have been walking straight the morning after."

…

He did _not_ just say that, did he?

Though Garothmuk's response surfaced a light chuckle from Sin, Raven was left with an agape jaw, utterly appalled at the Orc's sheer audacity. "Y-Y… You repulsive bastard!" Raven exclaimed in disgust.

The Orc's grin widened slightly more. "Call me what you wish," he said, "but my argument remains valid. Take a good look at me: even among High Elves, I would be considered a giant. And believe me, what lies hidden beneath the armor below the waist _is_ in proportion with the rest of me."

I take that back. He did not just imply **_that_**, did he?

Needless to say, Raven was left in shock once more from the Orc's insistence on such blunt and vulgar speak. "Y- You… _You_-"

"Bastard?" he finished. "Yes, you have said that already. As I was saying: I am a giant among people. Now, look at _Perennia_. Among those of her age and of her kind, she is of average height and proportions, but compared to me, I dwarf her in size.

If I laid with her, it would have been easy to figure out that it was me.

_That_ is my defense."

Raven stood still as a statue, her finger resting on the trigger of the gun. After what seemed an eternity of silence, she finally spoke. "As _disgusting_ as you are, Orc," she said, "your defense… is sound."

I could see the relief flow onto the Orc's face an instant later.

With Garothmuk acquitted from Raven's suspicion, the barrel and bayonet of Blunderbuss was shifted to the person who sat to the Orc's left: Dar'Raskar. Like Garothmuk, the Khajiit retained an unfeeling face.

"But what of _you_, Khajiit," Raven hit. "I suppose _you_ would have little trouble fitting-"

She stopped herself before the sentence could be finished (and thank the Gods for _that_.) While an embarrassed blush shot onto Raven's face, Sin erupted into laughter once again, attracting the woman's rage.

Blunderbuss quickly snapped to the chuckling daedra, its wielder demanded a "Shut up!" and aim was brought right back to the Khajiit. "You best have a good reason for me to lift my suspicions of you, Dar'Raskar! You seemed quite ready to imply that Perennia was nothing more than a concubine! It would seem that you share no respect toward her."

"Khajiit merely keeping possibilities open," he said. "Khajiit respects Perennia as much as Raven. That is why Khajiit would _never_ do as Raven accuses Khajiit of doing."

"Easily _said_," she shot back, "but what proof is there that you are not merely talking out of your ass?"

"Simple," Dar'Raskar replied. "If Khajiit did as Raven accuses Khajiit of doing, child would _not_ been produced."

The Dunmer-Imperial hybrid raised a curious eyebrow. "Explain yourself," she demanded of the Khajiit.

"Though it culturally forbidden for Khajiits to love with others of other race, Khajiits have _tried_. Very little successfully. With Khajiit men and female 'others,' no birth ever made. With Khajiit females and male 'others,' _if_ birth ever made, child usually ugly thing… Killed shortly after birth."

"That is monstrous!" Raven exclaimed.

"But it is Khajiits' way… To reiterate, if Khajiit _had_ laid with Perennia, offspring would not be birthed.

That is _Khajiit's_ defense."

The hybrid was left without words once more. Bringing a defeated scowl to her face, the aim of Blunderbuss moved to the next in line: me.

So, this is how it must feel to be at the opposite end of Blunderbuss. It is a strange feeling: to think that _this_ is what many of my foes saw _last_…

"Now it falls upon you, Zaden," she said with smirking slyness. "To be honest, it is _you_ I am most suspect of. I knew from our first encounter that Perennia harbored feelings toward you." That I _do_ know… I glanced to Perennia to see that her face was buried into her knees. "Do not deny this," she continued, "for I can tell that you know this to be true.

So, you had best formulate an _impeccable_ defense. Otherwise, you shall be slain by your own weapon!" Though she _spoke_ tough, I could see straight through her ruse. I noticed the slight tremble of her trigger finger. She was nervous… and it caused her to blink a lot.

I looked into the barrel. "First of all," I began, and an instant later, during one of her blinks, I snatched Blunderbuss right from her grip, "no one but _I_ uses Blunderbuss.

Secondly," I continued as I slipped the gun back in its scabbard, "to think that _you_ are so ready to condemn your allies sickens me."

"Silence yourself!" Raven spat. "Speak not to _me_ of the moralities of condemnation. In what way do _you_ have the authority to lecture me of such things?"

I shot to my feet. "Raven," I said, "have you ever _directly_ served a God before?"

She seemed hesitant to answer. "I… I-" she attempted to answer.

"I thought not," I finished. "Allow me to _enlighten_ you:

To serve under one with such great power is a truly life-altering thing. It puts into perspective how insignificant your life and existence _truly_ is. When Azura first appeared before me and I learned of my destiny to be the slayer of Dagoth Ur, I will admit, I wished not to believe it. However, when I listened to Her words, spoken in such a unfaltering voice, a voice that could melt glaciers with its warmth, and listened to how She had put Her faith in _me_, I vowed within myself to never do anything to break such faith.

_Azura_ put upon me the task to protect Perennia; with my _life_ if need be. I would _never_ betray such trust, and _that_ is _my_ defense!"

It nearly caused me to retch to speak such things aloud. In truth, my sneaking hatred of the goddess has slowly grown the more time I spent on this journey, a journey I believed was not mine to take! Though She said our destinies were intertwined and Perennia's fate hung upon the thread of my protection, I harbored doubts…

Now stripped of Blunderbuss, Raven was left in an awkward place (for a total of three seconds.) Now becoming increasingly frustrated, with all but one free from her suspicion, she focused her rage on the last person of suspect: Sin. Raven reached behind her back with one hands and unsheathed her scimitar. Approaching Sin, she aimed the very tip of it at his throat.

"And then there was one," she said to the daedra. "All else have been acquitted… so there is no other person to be the father of Perennia's yet-to-be-birthed child than _you_! I must say, you have even _I_ fooled by your change of alliances, but this display shows that your soul is as black as the rest of Dagon's servants. You have fooled me one, but I will not be-"

"You talk too much," said Sin.

"Wha- Excuse me?" Raven snapped.

"Not to mention that you accuse much too frivolously," the daedra continued. "Am _I_ to speak at all or will _your_ words continue into the next day?"

Sin was speaking with such boldness and daring. He was usually the polite and civil one, acting brash only when there were heads that needed cleaving. For what reason was he acting in such a manner _now_?

Raven found Sin's change in demeanor none too amusing. Tightening her grip on her scimitar, her brow began to narrow. "You have such bold talk for one that is an inch from death!" Raven threatened.

Sin lifted his gaze to Raven. "Go ahead," he said flatly. "It will do nothing… Your sword is made of steel, is it not?" She gave a slow nod in reply. "Such lesser metals," the daedra continued, "will only become damaged against my skin. If you thrust your blade forward right now, you will only succeed in making the edge blunt."

Once more, Raven found herself without offence. With the heads of her arrows made of the same metal, she quickly realized that fighting Sin would be useless. Surprisingly, the hybrid thought up a quick and clever counter to her sudden helplessness.

"So," she said, sheathing her weapon, "is _this_ how you will hide to cover your actions against Perennia: imposing your physical superiority against me and my weapons? By hiding behind such things, _you_ only succeed in reaffirming the suspicions upon you!"

"I hide behind nothing," Sin retorted. "I am merely stating fact."

"Then state _this_: _your_ alibi for the charge of lying with Perennia!"

A strange grin formed upon Sin's face. "My alibi?" he asked rhetorically. "Very well… You see, it is simply this: I have not the ability to impregnate."

Silence again was once again held. Even Perennia lifted her head from her knees in curiosity.

"… You have not the _ability_?" Raven repeated in disbelief.

Sin gave a single nod and answered with a "Correct."

"Do not give me such an answer! You merely reiterate what the Khajiit gave: 'I cannot plant my seed in those of a kind other than my own.' With such a week defense, you only dig your grave deeper."

"Not quite," Sin retorted. "While Dar'Raskar may not be able to 'plant his seed,' as you so _eloquently_ put it, into none other than other Khajiits, I have not seed to plant with."

Raven paused. "And you expect me to believe such a pathetic excuse?" she snapped, clearly not buying Sin defense.

Honestly, neither was I.

Sensing that Sin was not being believed in the slightest, he voiced a deep sigh with a heave of his shoulders. "Very well," he said calmly as he began to stand up. "If my words will hold no credibility to you, Raven, then I have not any other choice than to _show_ you."

And then, before Raven could even prepare herself or repeat "Show you?" Sin had already done the unthinkable. Reaching to his stomach and grasping an opening in his robe, he pulled it apart, revealing what lied beneath: black long sleeved shirt and pants. Then, just as quick, Sin undid the belt to his pants and, with seemingly no hint of hesitation nor remorse, pulled it down and showed to Raven (not to mention everyone else) what had laid hidden beneath.

I can only describe it as thus: meat… but no potatoes…

Has there even been a situation where a sight was so unexplainably odd or abnormal that, even though every part of your mind tells you to look away, you could not? Such was _this_ situation, as the eyes of everyone (save Sin, of course) seemed inextricably drawn to his "private parts." It was not for reasons of attraction (nothing could be father from the point,) but none of us, it would seem, had ever seen such a sight before (at least not on what most would consider a fully grown man.)

Raven was clearly the most stricken of all as her face turned a shade of livid I had never witnessed on a _living_ person before. Her body stumbled backward a full three steps before her lips could work up the courage to utter a sound. "What," she cried, "is _that_?"

Sin snorted. "How _polite_," he joked. "_That_," he said as he began the process of putting his pants back on and shutting his robe, "is what all _male_ daedra possess at birth. As you can clearly see, I have not that which holds 'seed.' For woman daedra, the do not produce 'eggs.' While the act of coitus _can_ be done between two daedra, nothing but pleasure would come of it."

"H-Have you no shame, Sin?" Raven suddenly blurted out. "You just revealed yourself to _everyone_, Perennia and _Emperor_ included!"

"My dear, I have lived too long to dwell on things such as 'shame' and 'regret.' What I did was the only way you would believe my alibi.

That being said, I am done defending myself," Sin said as he returned to his seat. "I do hope this charade of turning against your allies is now at an end. I _am_ quite tired."

Though Sin's tone had once again returned to brash, he made a solid point. With Sin without-a-doubt infallible defense, there were no longer people for Raven to interrogate. All had proven themselves innocent. Though, in my case, my defense was false…

Quickly coming to that realization that she was now without suspects to pin for Perennia's impregnation, Raven's feeling of hopelessness to protecting Perennia were beginning to show. With a furious scowl glued to her face, she slammed her right foot to the ground, shouting to the canopy of branches above a searing "Damn it!"

Suddenly, from the other side of the fire, came the sound of soft whimpering. It was that of Perennia, who had brought her head back into her knees. "Perennia?" Raven asked with worry. "What is the matter?"

"… No more," her muffled voice whimpered. "I want no more of this. These hostilities… All this accusations…" She suddenly lifted her head from her knees, revealing tears that streaked her cheeks. "I want nothing more than to identify the father and have this damned thing over with!"

Not an instant later, pain shot over Perennia's face. Dropping her feet to the ground, she lurched forward and clutched at her temples. Her eyes became bloodshot instantaneously. Raven ran to her side while everyone else and I shot to our feet in concern.

"Perennia!" Raven exclaimed. "What is wrong? Answer me!"

"These… memories..." she replied in-between pained grunts, "… Thoughts in my head… Where did they come from...? Stop… Make them stop!"

Stop they did, but in the instant the pain stopped, a look of another type came flooding onto her face: one of absolute fear. With her skin as livid as death, Perennia slowly lifted her fearful gaze upward and across the fire… at me.

"Z-Z… Zaden," she whispered, "Y- _You_ did this…"

What?

"_You_ did this," she repeated as she clutched her stomach. "You did this to me!"

What?

"It is because of you that… I am pregnant!"

WHAT!

An second later, the fire in the eyes of four fell upon me with such heat that it felt as if being plunged into the inferno that was Red Mountain. I could taste their disgust toward me as it seemed to hang in the air, causing me to sweat. Everyone seemed to close in on me, their intent all too predictable.

"_YOU!_" seethe Raven, aiming her index finger from across the fire. "It _was_ you all along! So all that talk of obeying the will of your God was all lies!"

What in Oblivion just happened! The morning after Perennia forced herself upon me, she had not one _shred_ of memory of the event. Only _now_ does it return to her? How could this have happened?

As Perennia continued to sob, everyone began to slowly rise from their seats, all sharing infuriated looks upon their faces… all but Sin. Choosing to stand away from everyone else, his look was one of concern. Those with raged looks began to approach me, their hands poised to strike.

I began to back away in defense. "Please, believe me! This cannot be true! Perennia is lying!" I lied.

"Perennia said Zaden was one that made Perennia pregnant!" Dar'Raskar growled through pointed teeth.

"Not ten minutes ago, she had not a single idea who the father was, but _now_ she knows? That is absurd beyond thought!"

"However," said Raven, unsheathing her scimitar once more, "she _did_ identify _you_, and that is reason enough to make you suffer, Zaden! For causing this pain against Perennia, you shall receive no mercy from _us_!" "Us" referring to Raven, Garothmuk, and Dar'Raskar.

I quickly grabbed for my side arms and aimed them forward, one gun aimed at Raven and the other at Dar'Raskar. "Not another step!" I threatened.

"What will Zaden do?" asked the Khajiit. "_Shoot_?"

"It is not my fault!" I yelled. "I tell you, it is not my fault!"

"Relinquish your weapons, Zaden," said Raven, "and we will not be forced to harm you!"

"I have no intent on giving you _anything_," I shot back.

"… Very well… Garothmuk! Now!"

Hearing a footfall behind me, I whipped myself around. I last thing I saw before I blacked out was the sight of a giant green fist flying toward my face.

o0o

When I awoke, it was clearly daytime. Sunlight bled through the green canopy of leaves above me. I found myself on my back, wrapped in my own bedroll. Groaning myself upright, a wet towel fell from my forehead and onto my lap. Had I not noticed it? Furthermore, who put it there?

I looked around me. A few feet from the foot of my sleeping bag was a meager fire with a pot suspended over it by means of tripod. On the other side of the fire, tied to the trunk of a tree was my horse, Apoc, and… Sin's black horse?

Before I could ponder just _why_ only his horse was there, Sin emerged from the woods behind me, cradling a bundle of sticks in his arms. "Ah, you are awake," he said flatly as he took a seat next to me and began to feed the flames. "I am surprised you are even conscious after the blow Garothmuk inflicted on you."

_Garothmuk…_ It was starting to come back to me, that last thing I saw the night before: one giant green fist. "So," I said, "it was _he_ that-"

"Knocked you out?" he finished. "Correct. I am surprised you let him sneak up on you like that. I figured you of all people would have been more aware of your surr-"

"What in Oblivion happened last night?" I blurted, feeling no longer in the mood for such small banter.

He replied with little hesitation. "After your release from consciousness," he began, "there was a debate as to what to do with you. I shall spare you what exactly was discusses (as most of what was suggested was quite gruesome in nature.) In the end, though, it was decided that we they would leave you in the middle of the forest, forcing you to find your own way home."

"I see… Wait, _they_?" I asked.

"Yes… _I_ did not agree to it… but I did not oppose the final decision outright. Rather, after the decision seemed cast in stone, I volunteered to stay with you. I said to them that I would make sure you at least got on the _correct_ path home."

"Hmm… So, is it safe to assume that I am no longer wanted amongst Perennia's group?" I asked, fully aware of the answer.

"Yes," he replied. "In fact, I have a message from Perennia herself that she wished to have passed on.

'Zaden… I, Perennia, do hereby relieve you of all previous commitments you have of protecting me. I no longer desire you as my protector. You are free from my servitude. Go forth at your _own_ will, Zaden, Nerevar Incarnate, for you are free.'"

He paused. "That is what she said," said Sin.

I looked into the flickering flames again and thought of Sin's passed on message. As I did, Sin retrieved from one of the saddlebag of his black horse a ladle and a pair of bowls. Pouring himself and I the contents of the suspended pot, we ate our breakfast in silence.

"So," I said, "it would appear my presence is _truly_ no longer desired by Perennia or the others."

"Correct," replied Sin. "It would appear… you are free, Zaden."

…

I am free…

…

I am _free_…

…

FREE!

"Sin!" I blurted out from sheer joy, causing him to choke on his meal, "do you know what this means?"

Looking to me, the daedra raised a single eyebrow of confusion. "… Perhaps not," he replied slowly. "Could you enlighten?"

"I no longer have to serve Perennia. This means I am free to do as I wish. I can return _home_! I can return to _Zela_!"

Catching the reasoning for my sudden burst of elation, Sin's mood seemed to lighten as well. "That you can!" he said back with the same enthusiasm as I. "I know you felt as if you had betrayed her by joining with Perennia's journey, but now you can return!"

With joy bringing me to sudden full strength, I jumped to my feet and face East, in the direction of the Imperial City. "Zela!" I called out to her, "weep not for my return any longer! I shall return to you and never again will we be apart! My love, nothing shall ever come between us ever again!"

With my words echoing through the woods and beyond, I began to march across Sin and I's small camp, frantically packing my supplies and preparing my horse for the return journey. Sin quickly followed suit, dousing the fire and sending smoke into the air before packing his own things.

Then, just as we both finished our packing, the smoke of the dead flames spoke to us. Its mysterious womanly voice whispered into both Sin and I's ears. "Heed me," it began.

If it was _Her_…

Turning our eyes to the shouldering pile of burnt wood, the black smoke molded and bent to the silhouette I least wanted to see: that of Azura. Upon seeing Her sight, Sin (who had spoken of his eternal gratefulness to her) fell to his knees and bowed his head to Her. I chose to stand, my fingertips resting upon the butt of both my sidearms.

"Azura!" exclaimed Sin joyfully, "Your presence brings warmth to my heart!"

The goddess looked to Her kneeling servant and smiled. "Arise, Sin," She said to him. Her eyes then turned to her most trusted servant: me.

"Nerevar," She said to me, "I am glad to see that you are in good spirits."

"Yes," I replied cautiously. "But you are not here to simply look upon my glee, are you?"

She smiled. "You know me well," She said. "Indeed, my intent is not that… I must say this to you, Nerevar. You must return to Perennia-"

"And _WHY_!" I roared. "She banished me from her service. I am free to do as I will. I am going to return to the Imperial City on my own! To return to my friends. To return to Zela! You cannot deny me this!"

"You seem to forget your initial intent of joining with Perennia… Her life and the safety of Tamriel hangs upon your protection of her."

No!" I shot backed. "I only joined her because you ordered me to and for no other reason!"

"Then I _order_ you to return to her," She countered, showing the first hint of aggression I have ever seen of Her. "Please, Nerevar. You are still my most trusted and beloved of servants… I pray you do not act in a way to lessen my trust of you." And with that, the smoke vanished.

_Beloved_…

Still in a sort of trance with seeing Her, Sin turned to me. "I am… in shock," he said to me. "You speak to Her in such a harsh way. I could never do such a thing. To act in such a way to a God-"

"Gods?" I repeated. "Gods, Sin, are nothing more than ordinary beings of ordinary thought that possess great power… Dagoth Ur once proclaimed himself a God, but I stripped him of his power. Removed of such power, he was but a frail and pitiful man of no significants.

Strip a God of what _makes_ them a God and you will see that they are no more greater or superior than you or I. They are merely people… and they can be just as corrupt."

"Corrupt?" Sin repeated. "Surely you do not imply that _Azura_ is corrupt, do you?"

Finished packing, I mounted Apoc. "Let us leave, Sin." I told him.

Apprehensive, Sin nodded, mounted his own horse and headed off without saying a word.

o0o

Sin led me out of the forest by riding a small way North. He brought us back to the main road. From there, we traveled East, the direction we had already been heading on our return journey. We were less than a day's ride from Skingrad from this point.

After about an hour, the main road split. At the very edge of another forest, the dirt path forked to the left and right. While the left looked to be a continuation of the main road, the right path seemed much narrower. Sin confirmed my thoughts.

"The path on the left," the daedra began, "_is_ the main road and it is where we once traveled and is the path Perennia takes _now_. The path on the right is a side route, usually used my smugglers. By following road signs, you will find your way back to the Imperial City.

Perennia had told me to tell you to take the latter route. It is what _she_ demands."

"… But what of _you_?" I asked. "Perennia's words do not seem to be ones you adopt to yourself."

"… _I_ think you know what route to take, Zaden," he answered. "Perennia will die if you are not there to protect her, that I believe. Though you wish it not true, I think _you_ believe it as well… But I am not here to force you onto a path. It is your choice, Zaden."

My choice… Return to the one I love and a life that I have sought after, achieved, lost, and search for once again: one of happiness and peace. But for how long would this last…?

If Perennia were not to succeed…

The reins of Apoc were now the strings of my fate… The former path was taken…

o0o

We reached Skingrad just as the sky began to turn orange from the setting sun. Stabling our horses, Sin and I discussed just outside said building where Perennia could have been within the city. "Did you hear anything the previous night?" I asked Sin. "Have you any indication?"

Sin shook his head in response. "I know not," he replied. "It would seem that we have no other option than to have our search be blind. I suggest we begin in the upper district than move to the lower half later."

Just as we were about to head off, one of the stable boys, a young Redguard, came out and waved to catch out attention. "Hey, you two!" he said. "You are those guys who came by a couple of months ago, right?"

"Indeed," Sin replied.

"The group you were in before came by here about a few hours ago. Why were you not with them?"

"Wait. You saw them?" I asked. "Did you see where they went?"

"Umm… I think they are in the lower district. Why?"

With a glance and nod between Sin and I, we darted into the lower half of Skingrad and began our frantic search. At this time in the early hours of the evening, not many were out on the street. This made our search a _tad_ easier, but still, we seemed to have little initial success.

Coming upon a main road (identified by being twice as wide as all most roads within the city), Sin and I saw a group walking in the opposite direction of us. The towering Orc of the group made it clear who they were.

Sin and I ran toward them. Once within earshot, I called out to them "Stop, wait!" An instant later, they whipped around, bearing their respective weapons. Raven had drawn an arrow in her bow, Garothmuk had unsheathed both his claymores. Emperor Martin only drew a shocked look on his face.

Wait. Where was Dar'Ras-

Before the thought was finished, I felt the pressing of a knife blade against my lower back. Before I could turn my head to see, a voice from behind spoke.

"Turn not around," Dar'Raskar demanded. "Khajiit not want to hurt Zaden but will if Khajiit provoked."

"Ah," said Raven calmly, "so Sin returns… but brings unwanted company. Why did you bring this _cur_ back?"

"I have my reasons for returning," I shot back at the hybrid. "I wish to speak them with Perennia!"

The Orc's brow narrowed and brought his claymores to a battle ready position. "Not a chance in hell I would allow it," he threatened. In fact, perhaps I should just kill you now and rid us all of-"

"No, please," said a voice from behind the hulking armored figure. "Let him speak."

From behind Garothmuk, Perennia appeared. She walked around the Orc on his right and positioned herself between him and Raven and I. For whatever reason, her pregnant stomach seemed slightly more pronounced.

"… Why?" she asked. "I have banished you from my servitude. You have gained the fatal scorn of all others in this fellowship. You could have had the chance to return to the Imperial City on your own and return to your wife. I ask you: Given all this, why return?"

Up until now, I had kept the true reason of joining Perennia's journey a secret to her. Now, truth had to be revealed…

"Because," I replied at length, "your very life hangs upon my protection."

I felt the blade against my back press harder. "What does Zaden suggest?" Dar'Raskar hissed.

"Azura," I said, "said to me that if I am not with you, Perennia, to protect you from all that may cause you harm… you will die."

She gave a silent gasp. "Azura said such a thing?" she cried. "Is this true?"

"Indeed," I replied. "That was Her decree. If you are to die, Perennia, then Emperor Martin will die." This produced the same gasp from him. "And if _he_ dies… Well, need I say more?"

From the look in Perennia's eyes, I could tell that this sudden unveiling of the truth hit her hard. As her lowered her gaze to the cobblestone in thought, it was if I could read her thought process as she did it, her eyes telling the entire story. After what seemed an eternity, her head lifted. "Dar'Raskar," she called out to him, "release him."

After a two second pause, I felt the knife lifted from my skin and the Khajiit walked past me on my right as he joined the others that stood before me. "Your words ring true, Zaden," Perennia said. "I shall allow you to serve under me… But you are to keep your distance."

"Understood, Perennia," I said.

With another pause, Perennia turned back to the others and said to them "Ok… Let us get this over with," and they continued down the street.

I turned to Sin. "What did she mean by that? 'Get this over with?'" I asked him. He shrugged his shoulders in response.

While the others walk on, Emperor Martin held back. He approached Sin and I. "Nerevar, Sin," he began. "It was discussed on the ride to Skingrad, in both your absences, what would be done about Perennia's child."

"W-What is meant by 'what would be done?' What is to be done?" I asked.

Martin seemed apprehensive to answer. "It is obvious that if Perennia is to travel and fight, she cannot let the worries of protecting her child become a hindrance. So, in unanimous decision (Perennia agreeing as well) it was decided that Perennia's child… must be killed."

o0o

"Killed?" I shouted. "You are going to kill Perennia's unborn child?"

Emperor Martin gave a solemn nod. "Yes," he replied gravely. "Perennia agreed to this. She agreed that it was the right thing to do."

"B-But how is such a thing possible? If this will bring harm upon Perennia-"

"Zaden," interrupted Sin. "What Martin refers to is an act that is commonly referred to as an 'abortion.' It is the act of removing the unborn child from the woman's womb."

"T-That is horrid! How in Oblivion is such a thing done?"

"Though known to little these days, the act of aborting a birth has been done for centuries. More _crude_ methods are done through the process of inserting metal hooks in to the female's, umm… *cough* opening. The child would then be hooked and forcibly removed from the body. Such methods often unfortunately resulted in the mother's death as well, usually due to internal bleed from mishandling of the hook.

"Death? Will Perennia-?"

"However, in more _modern_ societies, with the aid of healing magic and medical mages, the act of abortion had become a much safer practice, drastically reducing the risk of death. I believe Skingrad would have such a place."

"You are correct in assuming that," added Martin, "for that is where they are currently heading. Please, follow me."

Martin led us into another part of the upper district, farther away from the center trench that split the city. Outside a particular building, identified by a sign above the door that displayed a red cross against a white background, Perennia and the others seemed to wait for us. As we arrived, they opened the door and we all entered.

The interior of the building was quite unremarkable: the walls were made from solid logs (with no plaster used to make the walls flat and smooth.) The ceiling was marked by dusty rafters and the floor was of unfinished and unstained wood. A long bench sat to the right of the door. There were two doors in the corner of the room opposite the front door.

A few moments after entering, one of the mentioned doors opened and a male Argonian with burgundy skin and a crown of spikes atop his head, dressed in a stark white coat, emerged through. It was only after he shut and locked the door behind him that he turned around and actually noticed us.

"Uh," he began, "the hours of my business are from ten in the morn until… well, _now_. If you wish to have appointment, please return tomorrow and-"

Raven stepped forward, catching the Argonian's attention. "We have not another day," she retorted. "We need you to perform an… abortion." She seemed hesitant to say the word.

The Argonian raised a curious eyebrow before scanning the hybrid's body with his reptilian eyes. "Are you sure you are in need of one?" he asked Raven. "You do not seem that you need one. Perhaps you are merely letting your anxieties cloud your-"

"Not _I_," Raven interrupted. "_Her_," she said, placing a hand on Perennia's left shoulder.

Both eyebrows lifted. "I see…" he said calmly. I then heard him mutter to himself "So young…"

"It is urgent," Raven continued, "that she have it _tonight_."

Taken back by Perennia's age and the shock of the situation, the Argonian was forced to clear his throat before speaking further. "Well, as I have said, my business hours for today have ended. I will be happy to perform the procedure if you return tomorrow-"

Suddenly, Garothmuk took a thunderous step forward. "Perhaps your ears are less sharp than ours," he growled, clearly winning in his attempt to intimidate the Argonian. "The procedure _will_ be performed _tonight_."

The doctor did well to hide his fear. "Even so," he said, "the procedure costs five thousand septums and I doubt you have such money on your person right now."

Not missing a beat, Emperor Martin reached into an inner pocket of his robe, retrieved a small lavender pouch, shook it thrice to reveal the clang of the many coins within, and tossed it to the doctor, who stumbled to catch it.

Checking the contents with his own eyes and slipping the pouch into a pocket of his own coat, the Argonian gave a nod. "Very well," he solemnly, "I suppose I _can_ do one last procedure for today… Little girl, do you-"

"I am _not_ a 'little girl,'" Perennia suddenly spoke out.

"… Of course," said the doctor. "Regardless, are you aware of what the procedure entails? Do you know what will become of your child?"

With a slow nod, she replied with a whispered "Yes."

"Very well… Please, follow me to the next room. The rest of you may wait in this room if you wish."

While I took a seat on the bench (others following suit,) Raven was the only one that remained standing. "I will be with her," she said to the doctor, "to comfort her."

While the doctor's eyes clearly showed hesitation to agree to Raven's request, he approved at length by giving a nod. With that, the three entered through the same door the doctor had appeared through.

Sin, Martin, Garothmuk, Dar'Raskar, and I sat and spoke not a word in that room. We all seemed to find the floor incredibly interesting for that was where all our eyes seemed to fall. I knew not what the others thought, but my mind seemed racked with guilt. As the muffled voices of the doctor, Raven, and Perennia seeped through, a feeling of dread grew within me.

Then, for a period, there came not a word through the door. For a period of ten minutes there came not a word. Suddenly, the silence was torn asunder with the shriek of a piercing pain ripped not only through the door but my ears as well.

All out heads jerked to the door but only I jumped to my feet. Perennia was in pain. She was in danger, that much was certain. Reaching for one of my sidearms, I took a step toward the door. Before another step could be taken, a hand grabbed me in the shoulder from behind and stopped me. I turned around to see that it was Sin's hand.

"Zaden," he said, "do _not_ interrupt the doctor's work. You would only further complicate things."

"But Perennia is pain!" I shot back. "She could be in danger!"

"She is not in danger," the daedra assured me. "I could tell from his demeanor that this doctor was well skilled and well qualified to perform this procedure."

"You said that Perennia would not die from this procedure! Did _that_ sound like she was safe?"

"Even with the intervention of mages and healers, the procedure is nevertheless painful. _That_ is unavoidable. There is nothing that can be done about such things!" Another agonizing scream emanated from the door, ripping through my heart like buckshot.

Jerking Sin's hand from my shoulder, I instead walked toward the front door. "I cannot stand to listen to her suffering, knowing that I cannot do a thing to prevent or lessen it!" With that, I left the room.

Outside, I sought the comfort of a bench across the street from the doctor's building. Once seated, I wasted not a moment retrieving my pipe and tobacco from a pocket. Filling the bowl to the brim and lighting the leaves with mage fire, I began to smoke from it. It felt like quite the while since I had indulged in such a thing. I allowed myself to become lost in the aroma of the smoke and the calm that it sent me into.

As I smoked, the door to the doctor's building opened and Dar'Raskar emerged from within. Without speaking a word, he walked across the street and joined me on the bench.

"_You_ could not listen as well?" I asked.

"Khajiit's reason for leaving not same as Zaden," he replied. "Khajiit want to say something to Zaden."

"… What do you wish to say?"

"Khajiit, like Sin, knows truth."

"Truth?" I repeated.

"Khajiit witnessed night Zaden and Perennia conceived. Khajiit also listened to conversation between Sin and Zaden. Zaden is correct: Perennia was not Perennia that night."

Mid-puff, I nearly choked on the smoke. "Y- *cough* you heard that? You _witnesses_ that!" I coughed. The Khajiit nodded. "Then why did you not defend me the night previous?"

"Khajiit serves Perennia above Zaden. Khajiit kept appearance of loyalty to Perennia. This does not matter now. Problem is being solved as Khajiit and Zaden speak."

"… We can only hope," I said with a sigh, expelling more smoke between my lips. "You said that Perennia was not herself… What do you think was wrong with her?" I asked.

"Khajiit does not know," he replied. "However, Khajiit certain of this: Perennia's actions seemed not something Perennia capable of. Person or thing made Perennia do what Perennia did."

"But who?" I asked.

"… That is mystery to Khajiit. Answer may come in time…"

Dar'Raskar and I sat in silence on the bench for another thirty minutes. I smoked the entire contents of my pipe before the door to the doctor's opened. Sin poked his head through. "Zaden, Dar'Raskar," he called out from across the street, "…it is done."

The Khajiit and I rose from the bench in unison. Step by step we walked across the cobblestone street to the other side and stepped inside. Perennia was being supported upright by Raven, her right arm slung over the other's shoulder. Perennia's head seemed hung to the floor as if she was completely drained of energy. I turned to the doctor to express my concern. He gave a soft smile in reply.

"The procedure was a success," he said. "Perennia will be drained of energy for a while, but I expect her to make a full recovery. She has surprising resilience for someone so young."

"I see," I said. "… Thank you, doctor, for everything."

The Orc cleared his throat. "So," he said, "I suppose now we can head off, cover some ground before the day's end."

A panic-stricken look shot across the Argonian. "Oh heavens no!" he exclaimed. "I would advise that she remained in bed for at a minimum of one day so that she may regain her strength. She will be both physically and mentally exhausted from her experience. Putting her through anything strenuous could be detrimental to her."

Very well," said Martin. "We shall stay the night and the next day here in Skingrad. Let us find an inn. Again, thank you, doctor, for your assistance."

Showing humbleness with a nod of his head, the doctor gave his goodnights as we left the building.

After several minutes of search, we happened upon an inn. We purchased two rooms for that night and the next night: Perennia and Raven were in one room and the rest were in the other. As there were only two full-sized beds per room, it became a dilemma as to where we would sleep.

It became an unwritten agreement that Garothmuk received a bed. After some debate, Emperor Martin received the second. Dar'Raskar, showing his feline side once more, seemed content in folding one of the extra quilts, placing it on the floor, and curling into a ball and sleeping upon it. Sin chose to sleep with his back leaned against the wall. I chose to sleep upon the floor using my sleeping pad.

Sleep came incredibly hard for me that night. My mind could not lift itself from Perennia and how she suffered today… All because of me…

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Wow, longest chapter yet and what a chapter it was!

The act of abortion set in this type of period and place may seem out of place, but the abortion of unborn babies has occurred through the centuries. Let me make this clear: if you are pro-choice or pro-life, I support your decisions either way. However, what I **DON'T **want is to hear a hate filled review lecturing me on your views (pro and con alike.) Please, spare me your banters. Please.

With that said, I hope you'll all continue to read on. The story is near its conclusion. The Imperial City is but a short ways away now and who knows what lies ahead?

Stay tuned...


	17. Of Thieves and Assassins

Chapter 17: Of Thieves and Assassins

I awoke the next morn strangely comfortable. After sleeping upon ground (grassy and rocky alike,) to sleep upon a hard wooden floor felt like sleeping upon a mattress of goose down. Sitting up in my sleeping bag, I found that everyone else had yet to wake. Not wanting to be a bother, I laid back down and took another nap, awaking when another decided to get up (which happened to be Garothmuk.)

Breakfast was served to us later that morning (at the late morn hour of eleven in the afternoon.) The contents and quality of the meals sent my mind back to that the kitchen in Suran that served us after that mishap with the Khajiit bandits. The food was terrible. The eggs seemed watery enough to drink, the links of sausage were but sticks of ash, and the bread was hard enough to knock someone out with.

Nevertheless, we all ate in silence. Though we _spoke_ not a word, I could tell that we shared identical thoughts pertaining to the events of yesterday. So much had occurred in such a short time, it was hard for even I to believe it happened.

Once the five of us finished our breakfasts, we slowly began the process of heading off in our own directions for the day. Sin said that he was going to look for supplies for the remainder of our journey and he left first. Dar'Raskar was next to leave. He told us that "Khajiit has business with Guild. Make few extra septums. Back soon."

Then, when Emperor Martin excused himself to the bathroom, only Garothmuk and I remained. As soon as he had left, Garothmuk, who had been sitting on the edge of his bed, rose to his feet. "Finally," his voice boomed. "I was beginning to think that they would never leave… Now it is just you and _I_, Zaden."

Then, before I could even register what he had said, Garothmuk had already rose from the bed and closed in half the gap between him and I. I had not the time to reach for a weapon before he reached out and grasped my entire neck with one of his giant hands. Lifting me from the ground with the strength of his one arm, he walked over to a section of wall and slammed me against it.

"I have been waiting for this moment all morn," the Orc threatened through clenched teeth. "I did not want to cause a scene in front of the others, but now that it is just you and _I_… I have no reason to hold back." His grip tightened.

"G- Garothmuk," I strained from the crush of his grip. "What in Oblivion do you think you are doing?"

"You may have fooled Perennia into thinking you are doing the will of a God, but I can see through your ruse. You merely wish to do harm to Perennia once more. Your intent is much too predictable."

"You know _not_ of my intent, Orc," I spat in response.

"I know enough to tell when what someone speaks is truth or not, and you, _Nerevar_, have deceived us once already."

His grip was too strong for me to break from it with my strength alone. He was also too focused on my every move for me to initiate any retaliatory strike. I needed to break his attention somehow…

Thinking of a way, I raised my left hand and placed it flat against the wall, showing the empty palm to Garothmuk. It actually worked in catching his eye. "L- Listen," I strained, "I wish not to fight with you, Garothmuk. If Perennia had put her trust in me once more, why can _you_ not do the same?"

"You have influence over her," he replied. "A bond of some sort of sick love could have been made when you forced yourself upon Perennia. She would now be willing to believe anything you said as long as it brought you two closer together."

"… I know not how your brain works, Garothmuk, but how does that hold credibility?"

"Shut up!" he spat before slamming me against the wall again. "I have had enough of you! I care not what Perennia says: she is in danger when you are near her and therefore, she must be _rid_ of you."

"… If you must," I said in a defeated voice, "… but before that-"

The sound of twin hammers cocking sounded.

Recognizing the sound, the Orc shot his head downward to see the sight of a sidearm gripped in my right hand, its barrels placed but an inch from the armor on his chest. Looking back up to see my victorious grin, the Orc grinned as well. "Offer peace with one hand and arm yourself with the other," he commented. "Very impressive… But your threat falls short: you have not the decency to shoot m-"

One trigger was pulled.

The buckshot struck and imbedded itself into the armor, creating a deep dent in its surface. Even _with_ armor, the blunt force from the shot was enough to cause the Orc to voice an "Oof!" and take a few steps backwards (but not, unfortunately, to release his grip.)

Garothmuk looked downward, saw the deep dent in his armor, and looked back up. "HA! Not strong enough to break through _my_ armor," he mocked.

"But it would seem I damaged it quite a bit," I retorted. "I wonder what would happen if I placed a shot in the exact same place?" To drive the threat home, I pressed the second barrel against the deep dent. "I wonder if it will hold a _second_ time? What say you, Orc?"

A bead of sweat ran down the right side of his forehead. "If not," I continued, "I have two more shots in my _other_ sidearm. Not to mention Blunderbuss," I added, "and we all know _its_ capacity, do we not?"

I could feel the arm that gripped me begin to shake. "I- Well- I," he stuttered.

"Release me, and will not have to find out," I threatened.

It worked, and Garothmuk open his hand and let me drop to the ground.

Slipping my sidearm back into its holster, the door suddenly burst open, revealing a panic stricken Raven on the other side. "What the fuck?" she exclaimed. "What is with the gunfire? Zaden, what in Oblivion goes on here!"

I looked to her and gave a calm grin. "Merely a small disagreement," I replied and I headed toward the door. "I will head out for a while… I am sure Garothmuk will be willing to tell of what happened… That is, once he is done pissing himself." With that, I passed Raven without giving her a single glance and headed down the stairs to the ground floor.

o0o

A few hours of meandering Skingrad brought me to a small pub. In a dark secluded corner, I drank from my flagon of ale in relative peace. I say "relative" because I could not help but think of my actions to Garothmuk. Had they perhaps been a tad too far?

Nope.

As I thought, a familiar face entered the pub: Sin. Noticing me, he took a seat on the opposite side of the table, all the while joking, "Why does it not surprise me that I find you here?"

I smiled. "You know me too well, Sin," I said.

"Regardless, what brings you here?"

"Besides the ale? Nothing in particular. It feels nice to have such time of leisure… Even if the circumstances for obtaining such time of leisure are grim…"

"Indeed," was all Sin could reply with. I signaled to the bar for another flagon and a waitress served Sin a few moments later. "Even though we have discussed this already," I said, "I cannot help but wonder if Azura _had_ played a role in _that_ night. If She _did_ control Perennia's actions, what would be the purpose? What would She gain from such a thing?"

Sin looked into his ale, as if waiting for it to give the answer he was seeking. It apparently did not answer. "It is a troubling riddle," he finally said, "and I know not the answer…"

Before the daedra could continue further, an Imperial couple entered the pub, both in rather loud conversation. Sin and I could not help but overhear. "I wonder what happened to him?" asked the man. "Perhaps it was a fight?"

"Dear," said the female other, "you should have offered assistance. He was bleeding quite intensely. He looked to be near death."

"But you saw how that Khajiit was dressed," he defended. "Like a thief! I thought it best to keep our distance. Who knows what trouble could have been put upon us if we _did_ interfere."

Upon hear both the words 'Khajiit" and "thief," Sin and I looked to each other to see that we both shared looks of concern, fearing that said Khajiit was _our_ Khajiit. Getting up from our seats and throwing a few septums on the table as payment, we rushed out the pub door.

In the center of the street was a fresh line of dripped blood with many people crowded around it, clearly frightened by such a sight. Following the trail to the left, our fears were confirmed. Dar'Raskar, clutching his left side, seemed to limp in the middle of the street, heading in the direction of the inn. Sin and I immediately ran over to him.

Just as he was about to collapse, we each grabbed him by one arm and sling them over our shoulders, supporting him upright. As the blood trail was any indication, Dar'Raskar was badly wounded. Blood stained the fur on his face and blood dripped from a gash made through his leather armor on the left side of his stomach.

"Dar'Raskar!" I said to him, "What happened to you?"

His pain had weakened him, he voice rather feeble. "… Trap," he replied shakily, "Khajiit was… Trapped…"

"Quickly, Zaden," said Sin, "we must get him back to the inn."

"_I_ will take him back. You go and get the doctor from yesterday and bring him to our room. Quickly!"

With a nod, Sin dropped Dar'Raskar's right arm from his shoulder and he ran off in the opposite direction, leaving me to bring the wounded cat back to the inn. As I carried him through the streets, I received many gasps and worried looks from the passersby. I simply ignored them.

I carried the Khajiit straight through the front door of the inn and up the stairs, Dar'Raskar's feet dragging against the wood. Apparently, Raven must have heard my footsteps for she poked her head through the doorway to her and Perennia's room. "Come back, have you?" she mocked as she stepped into the hallway. She just noticed the one I carried. "D- Dar'Raskar? What happened?"

"Do not know," I replied as I opened the door and placed his atop his bed (the folded quilt.) Garothmuk and Martin shot up from their respective beds in terror. Not a few moments later, Sin returned with the Argonian doctor and he immediately began to clean the Khajiit of his blood and bandage his wounds.

Twenty minutes later brought the Argonian's work to an end. To cover the wound in his side, the doctor wrapped the Khajiit's entire stomach in white gauze. All others wounds, which consisted of cuts and bruises, were merely cleaned.

"Your friend should be fine now," the doctor assured Raven, Sin, Garothmuk, Martin, and I. "He has lost some blood though. However, he should be able to leave by tomorrow, along with the girl."

Paying the doctor his fee and thanking him once more for his work, he left. Now, all attention turned to the afflicted Khajiit who had now regained enough strength to speak coherently. "Dar'Raskar," I said, "what happened to you?"

He grunted once from pain. "Khajiit told," he began, "that Khajiit had business with Khajiit's guild. This true. Khajiit meet with fellow thief. Khajiit and thief planned to thieve from general store's back room, where money kept. Khajiit and partner entered through back alley.

When enter, Khajiit and partner ambushed. Many people ambushed, clad in tight black leather armor."

"Like yours?" asked Sin.

"But different," he answered. "People wore hoods. Armor was Dark Brotherhood."

While surprise seemed to fill the eyes of everyone else, I did not. "Dark Brotherhood?" I repeated. "Who be they?"

"Zaden," replied Sin, "the Dark Brotherhood is a guild of assassin that operates throughout Tamriel. The Empire, though, denies their very existence."

"Dark Brotherhood attacked Khajiit and partner. Brotherhoods killed partner outright. When Khajiit fought back, Brotherhoods wounded me. One asked if could kill Khajiit. Leader said "No." Then Brotherhoods left as soon as Brotherhoods came.

This makes no sense to Khajiit."

"How so?" I asked.

"Such act against one guild to another breaks code. Code says that members of one guild cannot kill members of others without reasonable cause. Keeps order among guilds."

"Then what reason would they have to kill the other thief?" I asked Dar'Raskar.

"That is mystery to Khajiit," he replied. "Khajiit want to find out… but Khajiit much injured to search.

Khajiit asks fellowship to find out for Khajiit."

"… You mean to say," I said, "that you wish us to take revenge for your comrade?"

"Yes," Dar'Raskar stated firmly. "Khajiit wish to reason for partner's death. Dark Brotherhoods _hired_ to kill. _This_ act of treason. Khajiit wants one of fellowship to find Brotherhood who killed partner and kill Brotherhood.

It give Khajiit… closure."

Closure? To see Dar'Raskar speak this openly was new for me. Who would have thought that Dar'Raskar would have such respect for the dead. "Who do you wish to find this out?" I asked.

Dar'Raskar looked right at me and replied, "Zaden."

"What? W- Why me?"

"Zaden sympathetic to thieves, more so than others. Zaden has thief as wife. Zaden understands difficulties of such life."

That was true, given the story of Zela's leaving of the Thieves Guild. Though many look down upon thieves, Zela showed me that thieves live turbulent lives, full of danger and the ever looming presence of the law. She also showed me that thieves can hold more honor to their cause than those of other guilds.

"Khajiit think it best," he continued, "that Zaden go alone. Less attention to self. Jeweler in upper half of Skingrad. Will Zaden do this for Khajiit?"

"… I will," I replied.

o0o

Not knowing what dangers lay before me, I armed myself of all my weapons. Entering the upper half of Skingrad, I kept an eye on the signs of the many shops. Bakeries, inns, pubs, but so far I had yet to see a jeweler. I began to wonder if there really was a jeweler and the entire operation had been a trap, set in motion by the Dark Brotherhood. No, Dar'Raskar would not be that foolish to be lead to such an obvious dead end…

From my thought, I looked up to the sign of the store in front of me. Would you know it, it read "Dilborn's Jewelries." As I looked at the sign, I began to chuckle at it, seeing it from the view of a thief. Were I a thief, this sigh would basically read "Steal here!"

Sure enough, as I walked the perimeter of the shop, there was a back alley behind the store with a back entrance. Not knowing what to expect, I slowly began my entering into the shadow of the alley. A single strip of light cut the alley in two, leaving the opposite end in darkness. The body of Dar'Raskar's slain partner had been removed, but the smell of blood was pungent in this confined space. At my feet there was still a round puddle of dried blood.

Footsteps sounded from the darkness before me. I drew Blunderbuss and took aim, the bayonet bathing in the light. "Who are you?" I barked. "Answer me!"

There was a short silence before there came an answer. "My," whispered a voice, "how assertive we are."

That voice…

"Are you part of the Dark Brotherhood?" I asked the voice.

"Perhaps," he replied. "Are you another thief, like that Khajiit and the deceased?"

"No, but I have come in regards to the Khajiit… His partner in the theft, the Brotherhood killed him!"

"I know," the voice said back. "_I_ was the one that slit his throat. It was rather easy…"

"Then you admit to the murder! I promised the Khajiit to avenge the thief's death… and I intend to keep that promise."

"Hmmm… That so?" he mocked. "I would rethink such a course of action."

"And why is that?" I asked.

"If you kill me, it would not be seen as a valiant act of avengement. This because there is nothing that you _can_ avenge!"

"What is this nonsense you speak of?"

"You think my killing of the thief was _murder_? Oh, how wrong you are. I was given a contract against that thief. His death is sanctioned by the Dark Brotherhood and therefore is considered a guild operation. And I am sure you are aware of the Code of Guilds?"

… That I was. Within said code, there existed a clause that stated that one guild may not inhibit the actions of another guild. Such an act would be considered an attack of one guild onto another. Such a thing has happened in the past and led to a civil war between guilds that lasted an entire decade…

… There was nothing I could do. Since the thief's death was part of a contract, it was of official business of the Dark Brotherhood, a fully recognized (if somewhat illegal) guild. My killing of this Brotherhood would be seen as senseless guild violence and could result in more conflict.

I apologize, Dar'Raskar, but your friend's soul will go unavenged…

"But wait," I blurted out, "if you killed the thief during a theft, is that not interfering with the operations of another guild?"

"Fool," he replied, "the theft quest was false. _We_ discreetly passed the quest to the thief in the hopes he would fall into our trap. It worked. The Khajiit, however, was an unforeseen snag, but he was dealt with properly."

Damn it. This Brotherhood clearly thought of everything. I finally conceded to the assassin's logic and sheathed Blunderbuss into its scabbard. "I am glad to see that you finally understand," the darkness spoke.

"Before I leave," I said back, "I wish to see your face. Your voice… it rings as familiar and I wish to see its source."

"As do I," he said. "Let us both step into the light. On the count of three, perhaps?"

"Agreed."

"Very well… One… Two… Three."

We each took a single step forward and we both became bathed in light, releasing ourselves to each other for the first time. The man who stood before me was an Argonian, dawned in the armor Dar'Raskar had described earlier and dawning a hood on his head.

I recognized the Argonian.

"So, we meet again," I said to him.

He raised a curious eyebrow in response. "We have met?" he asked. He must have forgotten.

"On a refuge boat a few years back," I answered. "You scared a guard into feeding all those who were below deck."

He paused to think. "… Ah yes, I _do_ remember that," he said calmly. "Were you… Jiub?"

"No, _he_ was the Dunmer. I was the Imperial that gave no name. Since then, I have become Nerevar Incarnate."

"… Interesting where our lives bring us, is it not?"

"Judging from _your_ position in life, I suspect not much has changed."

"Indeed it has not," he said with a grin. "Why leave that which provides you with so much?"

"Perhaps a shred of _conscious_ may invoke such change."

"Ha. Such a thing would inhibit my line of work… My my, _Nerevar_," he mused aloud. "You know, there have been many contracts put out on your life over the last few years. Some paid a fortune to see you dead."

"That so?" I asked. "I have been attacked only once by an assassin, but he was under the orders of a God. Why have I not seen from your kind earlier?"

"Because all that were offered the contract to kill you _declined_. They were afraid of you, Nerevar… But if given the chance, _I_ would have _gladly_ accepted."

"Good to know," I joked as I turned to walk back to the inn. As I did, the Argonian said one final thing to me. "When you see him," he said slyly, "tell the Khajiit that I hope he recovers soon…"

When I turned back, he was gone.

o0o

I returned to our inn room. Dar'Raskar had not moved from his "bed," his stomach still wrapped in gauze. Still, he looked better off than he had not an hour ago. Stepping inside, the Khajiit looked up at me with expecting eyes.

"Did Zaden do as Zaden said Zaden would?" he asked me.

"… No," I replied. "Your partner in the theft had a contract of assassination on him. His death was not senseless murder, it was a sanctioned guild act."

Upset showed on the Khajiit's face. "… Khajiit understands," he said at length. "Khajiit thinks that Khajiit was being too expecting to have Khajiit's friend avenged. Dark Brotherhood does not kill what Dark Brotherhood does not _need_ to kill…

Khajiit thanks Zaden for trying."

"… Anything for a friend," I said.

Just then, Raven poked her head through the door, her eyes resting upon me. "Ah," she said, "you have returned. Was all successful?"

"Define 'success,'" I replied.

"… Yes, well, when you are done in here, could you… step into the hallway for a moment?"

I wonder what she was going to say to me now…

Obliging, I stripped from myself my weapons and left the room. Closing the door to my room herself, Raven and I were alone in the quietness of the hallway. Turning back to me, her face expressed clear apprehension.

"Um, Zaden…" she began, "… Perennia wishes to speak with you, in the other room."

"… With _me_?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yes… If you do not want to, I can tell her that-"

"No need. If she wishes to speak with me, there _must_ be something she wishes to say."

Raven led me to the door of her and Perennia's room. Opening it, she motioned me to enter, insinuating that she would wait outside. Stepping inside, the door was shut behind me, making Perennia and I the only ones in the room…

Perennia was lying on one of the beds, the blanket and quilt tucked up under her chin. Her face was slightly pale but a rosy color shown in her cheeks. Noticing that I had entered, Perennia turned her head to me and gave a frail smile.

"Zaden," she said weakly, "nice to see you."

Noticing a small stool placed against the wall opposite the door, I grabbed it and took a seat next to her bedside. "… How do you feel?" I asked cautiously.

"I am feeling better now. I do feel my strength returning to me. I think I _will_ be able to travel by tomorrow morn."

"… That is good to hear." I was too afraid to say anything to her, knowing that it was _I_ that put her in such a place. I wondered to myself if Perennia was still mad at me? Did she still harbor feelings of hatred for me? Was such a grudge to forever inhabit her soul for the rest of her-

"Zaden," she spoke from the silence. "… I am sorry."

…

"… Sorry?" was all I could muster.

"Yes, I am sorry, Zaden. I have had time to think over a many number of things… I now realize that I have put you in quite an awkward position. It seems that not many of my fellowship hold much trust in you anymore… I am sorry for causing this to happen to you, Zaden."

… What in Oblivion was she apologizing for?

I leaned forward ever so slightly. "You need not apologize, Peren-"

"But I feel as if I must," she interrupted. "… I now realized the _truth_ that I have brought _this_," she said, referencing the abortion, "upon myself. If I had not forced myself upon you-"

"Perennia," I cut short, "you need not apologize for what you did. Your actions were not your own that night."

"… But they _were_," she insisted. "It was _I_ that-"

"I will hear not another word of this!" I commanded, bringing Perennia to silence. "… Perennia," I resumed cautiously, "you need not put blame upon yourself… Please, just get more rest."

"O-Ok," she replied.

Giving her a smile, I rose from the stool and began my approach to the door. Just as my hand gripped the knob, Perennia spoke again. "Zaden," she said, "… What do you think _Zela _will think of this?"

I left the room without speaking a word…

May the Gods have mercy on my soul.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Ok, I will be the first to admit that this was somewhat of a filler chapter. That being said, the return of the Argonian from the refuge boat was somewhat of a last minute addition. Still, this explains what exactly the business he had in Vvardenfell _was_.

I **_implore _**you to read further. The end of the story is closer than you think. Perhaps the next chapter...?


	18. Finality

Chapter 18: Finality

Perennia's rate of recovery was something to be admired. The morn after the procedure, she seemed to awake the Perennia we had come to know: confident and unafraid. She acted as if nothing had happened. I wish _I_ could do the same: purge from my mind such undesirable thoughts.

Sin informed us that he had met with mages of the Mages Guild yesterday. He gave them a message that would be brought to the Imperial City that would warn the heads of guilds to await our arrival in about one month's time. This way, all would be prepared before we arrived.

True to the doctor's word, the fellowship set off from Skingrad early that morn. After all that had occurred, it felt refreshing to once more travel the main roads of Cyrodiil. With every day, every mile we rode, a feeling of excitement built within me, knowing that every step forward brought me closer to the Imperial City…

o0o

Taking a left-turning bend in the road, the very edge waters of Lake Rumare seemed to glimmer before us in greeting. Taking more of the turn, the wall emerged from behind the trees in the far distance, followed by the sight of the grand White Gold Tower, an obelisk standing at least five hundred feet into the air. There, in all its glory, sat the Imperial City, a place where a blissfully average life awaited me.

Setting my eyes upon the city, I resisted all urges to snap the reins of Apoc and bolt on ahead. I looked to the other's faces to see that they shared some feeling of relief with me. Sin smiled at me, knowing all too well who I was thinking of at that very moment: Zela.

We rode through Weye and across the long stone bridge to the West entrance of the Imperial City. I grew excited for this entrance would lead right into the Talos Plaza District, the very district where Zela and the others were. However, when we hailed the guards that manned said gate, they hailed us back and halted us.

"We apologize," said one guard, "but this entrance into the Imperial City is closed."

"… Why _is_ that?" I asked through clenched teeth, suppressing every urge to draw one of my guns and aim to the guard's head.

"The entire Talos Plaza District had been put on a lockdown. None are allowed to enter of leave without direct clearance from the Imperial City Guard."

"For what reason is the district shut?" asked Martin.

"We have strong reason to believe that a malicious cult operates within the walls of the district. The guard is currently doing a through sweep to seek them out. They have requested that none enter as this could cause disruptions with their work."

"Understood," stated Perennia, "but it is of the upmost importance that we enter the Green Emperor way."

"All other entrances are still open. You may still use them."

Giving a nod, Perennia signaled by hand to follow her South from the gate. A ring of land encircled the Imperial City, allowing anyone to reach any of the entrances. My anger grew in intensity the more we seemed to ride away from the West entrance. Sin, apparently noticing this, rode up to my right.

"You appeared angered, Zaden," he stated.

"You have not a single idea as to how angered I am, Sin," I replied.

"Do not fret, Zaden. Our business in the Imperial City will be short. All that is left to be done is to coronate the Emperor and light the Dragonfires. Once that is done, you can return to Zela."

"… Yes… Zela…"

Sin gave a smile. "It must be nice to be in love…" Sin mused aloud. "Being as my life has been for so long, any love I ever held has long been dead. I have not the luxury of love."

A thought occurred to me and I could not help but smirk. "Given the years of your life, I would have figured you a _master_ of obtaining those of the opposite sex. You would have had centuries to master the art of seduction and, for that matter, the art of what occurs beneath the sheets."

"Ha ha, you make a valid point, Zaden! Perhaps I shall do as such. Also, the best part would be that I would not have hundreds of wives shoving children upon me, given the condition of my-"

"Excuse me!" said Perennia from the head of the group. "If you are quite done with your conversation of Sin's unmentionables, we have arrived at our next entrance."

Indeed we did, which was identical to the first in appearance. After speaking to the guards and stabling our horses, the tall gates were opened into the Temple District which, as luck would have it, housed the Temple of The One, home of the Dragonfires. As we walked past, Martin looked at the circular building in admiration. "In this building is where all our destinies shall end, including mine," he mused aloud.

We walked to the next gate and, upon recognizing us, the guards open it. Though I had been within the Green Emperor Way once, passing through it on our way to the Arena District, I remembered it well. Around the outer wall was a grassy ring that held host to a many number of gravestones, usually of those of royalty and the upper class.

Of course, those were moot point, for in the center was that which could be seen for miles around: The White Gold Tower. Built around its base was a domed structure: the Imperial Palace. Only those with permission from the Emperor himself could enter.

As we approached one of the entrances of the Imperial Palace, a trio of Palace Guards, elite guards clad in white and gold armor, positioned themselves between us and the door. "Have you clearance to enter?" asked one of the guards.

When it seemed that the eyes of everyone of the fellowship had turned to Martin, he stepped forward. "I," he began, "am heir to the Ruby throne, son of the late Emperor Uriel Septim VII. I am Martin Septim."

"… Have you anything to support your claim?" asked the same guard.

With a nod, Martin reached beneath his robe and retrieved that which hung around his neck: the Amulet of Kings itself, a perfect diamond-shaped, crimson red jewel, wreathed in gold. Upon looking at the jewel, the guards seemed to back away with surprise. "Indeed his claim is true," said a second guard. "There is no denying it now."

"Very well," said the first guard after clearing his throat, "you may enter, Emperor, along with your company." With that, the guards stepped aside and opened the doors before us, through which we followed the Emperor through.

Within the Imperial Palace was the Council Chambers. All the stone that made the floor, walls, and high ceiling of the round room was of white granite. In the center of the room was a huge, round stone table, surrounded on all sides by thirty throne-like chairs. On the opposite side of the table had congregated a many number of people.

True to Sin's word, he indeed did send word to the heads of the guilds of Cyrodiil. There had gathered the Cyrodiil heads of the Imperial Legion, Mages Guild, Fighters Guild, Imperial Legion, and, much to my surprise, Jauffre of the Blades had arrived.

His surprise was equal to mine as I greeted him, Perennia alongside with me. "Zaden, Perennia!" he said with joy. "It has been so long since we last met! I had begun to have thoughts of despair when you and your company, Perennia, did not return when you had originally intended. However, when your ally, Sin, passed your message along, I once again felt my spirits lift."

"Yes, it is great to return to the Imperial City," said Perennia. "It feels so long since we were last here… By the way, how was it that all the heads of guilds were able to come here all at once. Are they not spread out across Cyrodiil?"

"Indeed they are," Jauffre answered, "but we have none other than the Arch-Mage to thank for that. With his powers of teleportation, he was able to gather all the heads in a fraction of the time it would have taken to cross Cyrodiil."

"Where is this Arch-Mage?" I asked. "I would like to thank him personally."

"Oh, he is over there, behind you," Jauffre replied, pointing behind me. "However, he is not Arch-Mage of _Cyrodiil_. Due to sudden illness, he sadly could not attend. Instead, the Arch-Mage of Morrowind offered to act in his place."

Of _Morrowind_…?

Turning about, an old High Elf, clad in a cobalt robe, stood before me with his back in my direction. It had been long since I had seen him. I had met him only once, when I asked for his aid in constructing the army with which I would assault Red Mountain. As I approached, he must have read my mana for before I could greet him, he spoke, choosing to keep his back to me.

"Nerevar," he said, "it has been quite the while since we last me, has it not?"

Indeed it has, Qorwynn" I replied with a smile.

Finally, he turned around, showing a face that seemed not to have aged a bit since I last saw him. "When I heard that you were successful in your slaying of Dagoth Ur, my heart seemed to lift. When we last meet, you discovered right before my eyes what potential your mage abilities had: you released from your palm nothing short than the raw power of mana. Tell me, have you been able to master this feat?"

In truth, I had forgotten about that feat entirely and had not the time to practice and build upon it… "I am sorry to say," I finally replied, "that I have yet been able to perform that ability since you witnessed it. Instead, I have been building upon the other respects of my magic."

"And indeed it show," he said. I could simply tell that he was reading my mana. "The aura about you, Nerevar, is incredible, even surpassing my own. Indeed I was correct in saying that you would become a powerful battlemage."

"I thank you for your confidence," I said to him with a bow.

Just then, another High Elf appeared from another doorway. His blonde hair was slicked back in a regal manner and he was clad in a maroon robe, decorated at the cuffs and hem in shimmering gold thread. "That is High Chancellor Octao," Qorwynn whispered to me. "Upon Uriel Septim VII's death and in the absence of his heir, he has taken the position of acting Emperor."

He made a quick look of the room and all that stood in it. "It would seem that all have arrived," he said. "That being the case, let us commence the meeting."

With that, he sat in the most decorative of the chairs, situated opposite the door the fellowship and I had entered. The others followed suit. All the heads of guilds sat to Octao's right, the closest of them sitting two chairs away from him. To his left is where we sat, also making sure to keep two chairs from Octao. From left to right sat Martin Septim, Perennia, Garothmuk, Raven, myself, Sin, and Dar'Raskar. Though we all sat rather far from each other, the acoustics of this room was such that even if two individuals spoke to each other from across the room, they would hear each other clearly.

"Perennia," Octao began. "When we last spoke, you gave the estimate that you would return back to the Imperial City with Martin Septim after a time exceeding no more than five months... Did you not say this?"

Perennia rose from her chair in respects to Octao. "Indeed I did, your Lordship," she replied.

"… Then why is it that you return to us after a time period exceeding a _year's_ time? Have you an explanation?"

"Indeed I do…

We had regrouped with Martin Septim in the city of Anvil. We were about to depart from Anvil when a gate of Oblivion rose from outside the wall." Murmurs sounded from the others. "We entered through the gate, leaving Sin to defend from the outside, and removed the sigil stone. However, the gate did not close. It was then a dark presence spoke from the sky above, proclaiming our inevitable deaths. We ran back to the gate and jumped through.

When we emerged on the other side, Sin informed us that we were within the gate for a period of seven months, even though our transition back seemed instant."

"I see... Do you know what this 'dark presence' was?" Octao then asked.

Sin rose from his seat. "We believe," he announced, "that it was he that I once served: Mehrunes Dagon."

The murmurs intensified, only halting when Octao raised a single hand to signify silence. "And for no other reason was your journey delayed?" he asked.

Thankfully, from the distance she was from Octao, he could not see Perennia dart her eyes toward me for a split second before returning them to the Altmer. "No other reason," Perennia replied.

"Very well... All things aside, you have done what you set out to accomplish: you have returned with the heir to the throne. Now the coronation can be completed… Martin Septim, please step forward."

Martin rose from his chair and approached the head of the table, Octao rising a moment after. Standing before him, Martin knelt down onto one knee and bowed his head. Octao placed his right hand upon his head and proclaimed this:

"Martin Septim, son of Uriel Septim VII (now passed), with the blessings of the Nine Divine and that of the Elder Council, I bestow upon thee the title of Emperor Martin Septim.

May the Gods grace thee with a grand rule."

Just as Martin rose to feet and was about to thank Octao, the doors to the outside flew open with the force to send them bouncing back and slam shut. In came a messenger, panting and exhausted, who ran to the table.

"Sirs! Sirs!" he said through heaving breaths. "It is a travesty! Unspeakable! Unheard of!"

"What do you speak of?" asked Octao.

"Gates! Oblivion gates have opened within the walls of the city!"

The doors behind the messenger erupted in a flash of fire, sending a wall of splintering debris outward and into the guard, killing the messenger when they penetrated his head. Through the fire and flames that engulfed the doorway walked an uncountable amount of Scamps, all pouring through the single opening and charging toward us.

The fellowship instantly initiated its defense: Sin throwing Scamps into the walls and ceiling by means of telepathy, breaking their bones in the process, Raven picking individual Scamps off with her bow, I doing the same with Blunderbuss, and Garothmuk, Perennia, and Dar'Raskar charging headlong into the Scamps, wielding their respective weapons and cutting into the daedra.

The white granite floor was stained with the blood of many Scamps before the combat came to an end. The fellowship and I were successful in repelling the attack and none of the heads not Octao were harmed. Once clear from any danger, I turned to the Arch-Mage.

"Qorwynn!" I yelled from across the room. "Take the heads and flee from this place. Teleport _far_ from the Imperial City!"

Giving a nod in response, the heads of the guilds and organizations gathered around the mage and, in a flash of purple light, they were gone.

Turning back to the others, they looked prepared to battle, clutching their respective weapons tight. Looking to Perennia, her face showed a hint of fear, fear she was doing well to hide. With a sigh, she seemed to straighten her stance and she turned to the others.

"Let not this turn of events take from your confidence!" she commanded to the fellowship. "Our quest remains the same. We must bring the Emperor to the Temple of the One so that the Dragonfires may be lit. Protect Martin with your life! Onward!"

o0o

It was a sight that felt akin to a nightmare. The sky turned red, ripped with lightning and thunder. Stepping outside through the smoldering doorway, it looked as if the entire city was burning. Flames from behind the walls of the different districts rose toward the sky, sending a pitch black smoke into the air.

As I entered this veritable hell, an overwhelming feeling came over me: the mana, much like it was in the _true_ Deadlands, was _everywhere_. I could feel an infinite ocean of mana below my feet, mana I could draw from. Looking to Sin, he gave a look that told me that he felt the same thing.

I walked around part of the perimeter of the Imperial Palace and, looking to the West, saw the gate into the Talos Plaza District. It was completely demolished, turned to nothing more than a pile of impassible rocks. The flames that rose from the Talos Plaza seemed higher than that of the others.

Perennia's voice called out from a distance behind me. "Zaden!" she called. "We have not the time! Martin must be taken to the temple at once!"

Screaming a "Damnit!" aloud, I returned to the group. "It seems," said Sin, "the gate entrance directly to the Temple District has been demolished. It would seem we are forced to walk through the other districts to reach our destination." We circled the perimeter of the Imperial Palace to find that the only gate that was not demolished was the gate into the Market District, meaning we would be forced to walk through the Arena District and the Arboretum to reach the Temple of the One.

Martin took to standing in the very center of our group, surrounding himself on all sides by the members of the fellowship. He followed us as we approached the gate to the Market District. Without guards above to open the gate, we were all forced to push the gate open ourselves. It took our combined strength to move the great weight of the door forward.

The very moment the door opened a mere crack, a river of blood seemed to flow in from the other side, pouring over our feet and splashing up against our pant legs. Pushing the door further, the river increased. Once wide enough, we waded through the crimson and into the Market District…

Though, at this point, one could call the district a slaughter house. The streets seemed blanketed with the hacked, cleaved, and charred bodies of the innocent, lying in pools of their collective blood. All the buildings seemed damaged greatly, great sections blown apart by powerful magic.

I turned to my allies to see that their faces showed similar dread to that of I. Perennia, being the youngest of us all, seemed the more distraught, only surpassed by Emperor Martin Septim himself.

"By the Nine Divines," he whispered aloud, "what horrors these demon creations have brought. In such short time, look what devastation they have created, the lives taken!"

Dar'Raskar lifted up a foot from the blood and saw how his fur had became stained. "And mess daedra created," he added, dropping his foot back into the liquid.

"Fellowship," Perennia suddenly announced. "Once more, let not these things deter you. The Emperor must be brought to the Temple of The One! Forward!"

We had no choice but to wade further into the stench of innocent death, each step plunging our feet into the ocean of crimson. Every step forward brought my _own_ blood to a boil. Finally reaching the doorway to the Arena District, we were somewhat pleased to find that there was a large, smoldering hole blasted through, allowing us to pass through.

Much to my surprise, the Arena seemed rather untouched. Though slain bodies did mar the ground, it was not anywhere close to the slaughter house that was the last district. Seeing the door to the Arboretum from across the district, we ran toward it.

We had not walked five steps before a thunderous sound filled the air and the ground shook with great ferocity. From the center of the Arena itself came a column of flame that rose infinitely into the sky. Seeking cover behind a pair of fallen horse-drawn carriages, a voice that froze my very soul emanated from the flames.

"**_From my exile of the Deadlands,_**

**_I shall rise once more,_**

**_To bring finality upon those,_**

**_Who have brought me my scorn."_**

A towering red figure of thirty feet rose from the center of the flames. A crown of black horns atop his head, four massive arms (the lower left gloved in a tri-spiked gauntlet and the top right clutching a mace), a single piece of armor worn around its waist, and eyes that burned with the fires of the Deadlands themselves.

Rising from the ground, the figure stretched his arms wide and made a victorious roar to the altered sky. "**_I have returned to claim what is mine!_**" the figure declared. Bringing its eyes downward, he rose his mace high and slammed it against the ground, sending a even wider column of flame that engulfed the entire Arena into the sky. When the flames dissipated, there was not a structure nor remains left of it.

The figure then turned itself around and looked up at the White Gold Tower. Seeing it as a mockery, he drew his upper left arm back and threw a spell of black fire at the tower. Upon contact, it was engulfed entirely. Voicing another defiant roar, the figure strode forward, crashing its way into the Green Emperor Way and began its glorious, indiscriminate path of destruction.

"… My old master," said Sin aloud. "We have just witnessed Mehrunes Dagon in its very flesh and blood. This was no avatar nor illusion nor double. It was He: Mehrunes Dagon."

"… Then all hope is lost," Emperor Martin suddenly said, causing eyes of the fellowship to fall upon him.

"Emperor, do not surrender yourself!" Perennia pleaded. "We can still reach the Temple of The One!"

"And for what reason?" he said solemnly. "He has already arrived. Dagon exists in this realm. We have failed… No hope can be had in saving the mortal realm…"

I reached over to him and, grabbing his shoulders, gave him a near violent shake. "Let not that God's presence cloud your mind!" I commanded of him. "There _is_ a way for there _always_ is a way. Search your feelings, Emperor!"

Giving a slow nod, the Emperor closed his eyes and became quite still. For a few minutes he remained unmoved. The sounds of Dagon's destruction sounded in the distance. Suddenly, Martin's eyes shot open.

"I understand," he said aloud.

"Understand what?" asked Perennia.

Rising to his feet, he announced to the fellowship. "An answer has come to me!" he said. "We must still proceed to the Temple of The One. All will be explained upon reaching it."

_Martin_ now seemed to lead the group, walking his way across the Arena district to the other end, where yet another gate awaited us, a gate that led into the Arboretum. I remembered this place from the party Zela, Hui, Varon, and I attended shortly after arriving in this city. It was also where I reunited with Jiub.

Though _now_ nothing seemed to spark remembrance. The trees that once grew in this district, the stone gazebo that sat in its center, the statues of the Nine Divines, all were gone, leaving nothing more than an open area with blackened ground. With the door into the Temple District already in sight, we continued forward…

Only to be halted by a crashing sound from our rights. The entire wall to our right came crumbling to the ground and stepping over the newly formed rubble was none other than Dagon. The God took heed of us from the distance and scowled.

"**_You mortal creatures are but a nuisance to me,"_** he said, looking straight at us, "**_and shall be dealt with as such._**"

Casting one of his arms forward, a great tremor in the ground precursed the rising of _three_ gates of Oblivion before the fellowship. From each gate emerged no less than thirty dremora, all prepared to do battle. When all the dremora looked up to their Lord and Master, he gave a single command.

"**_Silence them_**."

They all seemed to charge at once, a wall of daedric flesh and armor, their weapons brought to bear. Sin was the first to lash out at the charging force. Producing a thin, translucent shield, he threw the disk into the very center of the charge, slicing straight through the midsections of at least ten Dremora. Raven complement the daedra's long ranged attack by sending arrows, one after another, into the exposed parts of their armor. I did the same with Blunderbuss.

When the charge finally reached us, those who had clutched their melee weapons finally engaged the Dremora. Perennia, Dar'Raskar, and Garothmuk began their assault and cut through the wall of daedra, causing more and more of their enemies to fall. Sheathing Blunderbuss, I allowed the vast mana beneath my feet to flow up through my body and out my palms, taking the form of blue flames that scorched my enemies to their death.

The fighting was chaotic, a seemingly never ending onslaught of foes to vanquish. Taking a glance at the three gates Dagon had summoned, I shuttered at the sight of _more_ Dremora emerging from its flames. Resuming combat, a sudden shrill shriek emanated from the clash of metal to my right.

Turning, a truly horrifying sight unfolded before me. A Dremora had grabbed Perennia from behind by her neck. Lifting her off the ground, Perennia reached behind her in a desperate attempt to break free of the daedra's grip. This came to no avail. Then, placing its free hand on the small back…

A bolt of lightning ripped through Perennia's stomach, turning her squirming body limp.

… There now existed no others on the battlefield: only I, Perennia, and the Dremora that still clutched her neck. It then tossed her body aside, hitting the ground with a flat thud. I feared the absolute worst. I screamed her name, "Perennia!" but she gave no response. I needed to reach her, to see if she could be saved.

Channeling mana from beneath, I sent a horizontal arc of blistering flame outward before me that sliced through no less than fifty Dremora, creating an open space in the battle field. I sprinted over to her body and lifted her in my arms. There sat a great wound in her stomach which pled profusely.

The others, seeing the aftermath of what occurred, quickly formed a protective circle of defense around me and Perennia. Martin knelt beside me as well, looking down in awe at Perennia's wound.

"Perennia!" I yelled over the sounds of battle. "Speak, Perennia!"

Her eyes slowly opened and she looked up at me. "Z- Zaden…" she spoke weakly. "I'm… cold…"

"Hang on!" I pleaded. "Let not the darkness take you!"

"It is… too late for that… Zaden… Take Martin to the temple… Complete what must be done…"

Taking one last breath in, she gave her final words. "Trust not the Queen."

Her body went limp.

Her eyes glassed over.

She was gone.

o0o

_How can this be? It is not possible. It was Perennia's destiny to lead Martin to light the Dragonfires. How can this be done when she is… gone. Is all hope lost? Have we truly failed?_

Lifting my gaze from the now paling Perennia, I found myself not in the mists of battle. I now found myself in an endless black void with no visible horizon in sight. Looking back down to my arms, Perennia's body was gone.

"It has been a while," said a voice from behind me. "Did I not say we would meet again?"

That voice…

I rose to my feet and turned about. There, standing before me, was he that I killed, he that once wished to rule all of Vvardenfell and Tamriel, he who was once my destiny to slay.

Dagoth Ur stood before me, adorned with his mask.

"Dagoth Ur welcomes you, Nerevar," he greeted, "to my _tomb_."

I reached for my weapons to see that I was now without them. I attempted to channel mana only to find I was completely drained of it. Looking back to he who stood before me, I could only utter his name aloud. "Dagoth Ur."

"It is nice to look upon a familiar face. Your face is the first I have seen since our last encounter… when you bested me."

"… What is the meaning of this?" I asked. "Do you seek revenge for your fall?"

"No, Nerevar," he replied. "I merely wish to _aid_ you."

"What aid could one such as yourself give me?"

"… Your mind is clouded with thoughts, Nerevar. You have just witnessed that which conflicts with all that has been told to you. You have witnessed the _death_ of Perennia, she who was _destined_ to lead Emperor Martin Septim to restoring order to Tamriel. With her death, her destiny has been proven false."

"… False," I repeated aloud. "How can that be? Are destinies not set in stone once proclaimed?"

"One such as yourself would assume so… but that is truthfully not the case. The answer to that question shall come shortly to you, Nerevar. For now, I wish to present to you a gift."

When Dagoth Ur took a step forward, I stepped back. "For what reason would you think I would _ever_ accept your aid," I shot at him.

"… The gift I wish to bestow upon you _will_ be of use in your near future," stated Dagoth Ur. "You will soon confront that which has molded you, shaped you and your destiny into what it is now. If my gift you do not accept… you will fall… and you shall never look upon the one you love ever again."

_Zela_.

"Correct… Accept my gift, Nerevar, as a show that I have forgiven you for killing me."

I approached the former "God." He reached outward with the claws of his right hand and placed them lightly on my forehead. In that instant, I felt, much like Hui and I have done in the past, our heartbeats synchronize: his black heart with mine.

Lifting his fingers from me, he took a single step back, giving the final words of, "Trust not the Queen, Nerevar."

o0o

"Zaden? Zaden! Zaden, wake up!"

Sin's words seemed to wake me from my trance state, the sounds of battle rushing back into my ears. I found myself standing over the body of Perennia, looking down upon her now white body, blood pooling around it.

I lifted my head and saw there still existed a great many number of Dremora on the battlefield, still clashing with members of the fellowship.

_Enough_.

Raising my hands to my foes, mana rising from the ground and through me, _pure_ mana, manifesting itself into the form of an electrified fire of emerald color, sprung forth and struck a trio of Daedra that stood before Raven. Upon striking them, the strange fire engulfed them before quickly fading, leaving absolutely no trace of their existence behind.

Looking around, there still existed more foes. Facing my palms to them, the mana was released and more Dremora seemed to vanish in green light. Suddenly finding all the foes the fellowship fought against suddenly disappear, they turned to look at me with bewildered looks.

Looking to my left, the three Oblivion gates stood in the distance. Seeing them as an eyesore, I aimed to them and released an even greater display of this strange new power. Flying across the length of the district, upon contact, the gates were engulfed in the emerald flames and they vanished within the blink of an eye.

The members of the fellowship continued to stare at me, most likely wondering in bewilderment as to how I obtained this new ability. It seemed that Garothmuk obtained the courage to ask.

"… Where in Oblivion did you learn _that_?" he finally blurted out.

"… An old friend," I replied at length. "Now is not the time for such questions… Even in Perennia's absence… Martin still needs to be brought to the Temple of The One."

Slowly but surely, everyone around me gave concurring nods. Taking one last look at Perennia, I began my approach of the gates that would lead to the Temple District, the others following in step shortly after. With Perennia's death, I knew not how the outcome of entering the next district would be, but I knew if I were to die…

It would only be _after_ Martin completed what needed to be done.

The Temple of The One sat in the center of the district, surrounded by burning buildings. With the entrance to our left, we forewent walking and at once we sprinted around the perimeter of the building.

Reaching the Southeast side of the circular building, a great eruption of the outer wall of the city sent the fellowship and myself flying backwards, tumbling across the cobblestones. Lifting ourselves from the ground, the source of the explosion revealed itself. None other than Mehrunes Dagon walked through the blasted opening in the wall. Looking down upon us, he gave a growl.

"**_I choose to let you exist no longer_**," he spoke. "**_My direct intervention is needed_**."

"RUN!" I screamed.

Turn to the opposite direction of the door, we sprinted as fast as we could in a desperate attempt to put distance between us and Mehrunes Dagon. It was for not, though, as Dagon closed the distance we made in no more than three of his long strides. Raising his mace high above his head, he threw it to the ground, shattering the stone and creating a ten foot deep crater. It was a miracle we were all able to dodge it.

Bringing her bow to aim, Raven began wildly firing arrow after arrow at Dagon. They seemed to have no effect on him as they harmlessly bounced off his skin, though it _did _succeed in averting his attention from Martin. When the God's eyes fell onto Raven, she yelled at the top of her lungs one final command.

"Quickly, get Martin into the Temple! I'll distract him as long as I-"

Raven suddenly found herself in the grip of Mehrunes Dagon's lower right arm. Standing up, said arm, with Raven screaming in it, cocked back and made a throwing motion, sending our comrade into one of the flaming building. The force at which she was thrown was enough to send the entire aflame structure crumbling down on top of her.

There was no possible way she could have survived…

Witnessing the death of another friend, Garothmuk suddenly let loose a thunderous roar, raising both his claymores high above his head in a show of his ferocity. "The bastard will pay!" he declared, catching the attention of Dagon. "I'll deal with him now! Everyone else continue forward!"

Knowing he was so willing to sacrifice himself, we did as he commanded and continued to run in the opposite direction around the perimeter of the temple. As we ran, I looked back to witness the Orc's demise. Banging both claymores together, the Orc showed defiance in the face of Mehrunes Dagon. Once more, the God rose his mace above his head, but when he sent it crashing back down, Garothmuk dodged the blow and charged toward his legs, thrusting both claymores into the Achilles heel of Dagon's right leg.

Unfortunately for the Orc, on Mehrunes Dagon, such a spot posed no weakness and, seemingly unfazed by the blades stuck into him, the God reached down and snatched Garothmuk into his upper left arm. Bringing the Orc to his eye level, I witnessed Garothmuk spit words at Dagon (though distance prevented me from hearing them.) Such were his final words for the God then tightened his grip and the Orc was crushed in the God's palm, a flow of blood dripping from the hand.

Tossing the flattened body aside as if it were garbage, Dagon resumed his approach on myself, Martin, Dar'Raskar, and Sin. With only us remaining and with two of our comrades already fallen so easily by Mehrunes Dagon' hand, I feared that we stood not chance.

"**_Your final moments are at hand_**," uttered Dagon, who had finally caught up and towered over us as if we were mere insects. "**_None shall impede my conquest of Tamriel, especially not the servant of Azura! Be still, Heroes, and embrace death by my hands- AAAGH!_**"

Dagon suddenly roared a scream of pain when from over the roof of the Temple of The One came a _massive_ bolt of mage's lightning, striking him in his left temple, causing the God to stumble to his right and collapse into the wall of burning buildings.

Looking to the rooftops to our left, to the source of the lightning, there stood a figure atop the roof of a non-aflame building. He was an Argonian, clad in wizard robe and wizard hat of dark green, clutching a staff with a blood red crystal fixed atop it.

"Hui!" I exclaimed in sheer joy. A second later, another figure rose next to Hui, a Dunmer clutching an ebony spear. Even from this distance, I simply knew who he was. "Varon!"

With the assistance of Hui's ability to levitate, the two jumped from the roof of the building and slowed down right before they touched the ground. We ran to each other and threw ourselves into our arms. It had been so long since I had last seen them. To now see them emerge from this hellish place, it was unreal.

"By the Gods!" I said. "I cannot believe it is you!"

"Nor can we believe it is _you_, Zaden!" said Hui in response. "It has been a literal hell. One of the gates opened in the center of the Talos Plaza District. Varon and I were able to not only fend off the invading daedra, but close the gate as well."

"You _closed_ that gate? I knew not that you knew how!"

"After you left, I took it upon myself to study these gates. It was then I learned how to shut them."

While I was more than elated to see my two friends, I needed to ask the inevitable.

"Where is Zela?" I asked Hui. "Is she alright? Is she safe?"

For a brief moment in time, Hui paused before answering. Though said pause truthfully lasted but a second, for some reason, for me, it hung for an eternity. Finally, Hui gave his answer of "She is fine. She is in the basement of our home and is currently protected by Jiub."

Before I could question further, there came the sound of crashing lumber from behind. Turning myself around brought before me the sight of Dagon rising from the building he had fallen into. I quickly turned back to Hui and Varon. "Return to her!" I commanded, and with a nod from both, they ran off.

Rising from the burning rubble of the building, Dagon once more towered over us, his eyes glaring down upon us with intense heat. "**_Your end shall be nigh!_**" Dagon declared. Before I could channel mana through my arms to perhaps knock him down once more, Sin and Dar'Raskar suddenly jumped in front of both Emperor Martin and myself.

"Zaden and Emperor enter temple," the Khajiit ordered. "Khajiit and Sin distract!"

"NO!" I shot back. "Too many have fallen already doing the same! You sentence yourself to death by doing this!"

"… Then so be it," replied Sin and the two sped forward, distracting Mehrunes Dagon from Martin and I. Whatever attacks the God threw at them, they dodged. As I watched them successfully take on the God, I felt Martin's hand on my shoulder.

"Come, Nerevar!" he said. "The entrance into the temple is but a short distance away!" I followed Martin as he rounded the last section of wall and the door came within sight. Looking back, I took one last glance at Dar'Raskar and Sin as they fought Dagon, knowing that this could very well be the last time I saw them…

o0o

In stark contrast to all that was outside, the interior of the temple was completely unmarred: all the walls were made of white stone and looked as if the temple were constructed yesterday. In the center of the single large room was a round alter, surrounded by six columns. Upon entering, Martin ran to a spot against the wall, to the right of the door. Once there, he fell to his knees and looked to be praying, his eyes toward the alter.

I approached, baffled at what he did. "We have not time for prayer, Emperor!" I told him. "The Dragonfires must be lit!"

Taking a deep breath in and out, Martin rose to his feet and looked into my eyes: his showed absolutely _no_ fear. "Doing such a thing at this point," he spoke calmly, "would account for nothing. Mehrunes Dagon has _already_ entered the mortal realm."

"Then what is there to be done?" From outside, I could still hear the sounds of combat between Sin and Dar'Raskar and Dagon.

"I have stated this before… The blood the flows in my veins is the Dragonblood." Reaching beneath the collar of the robe he word, he retrieved from beneath the cloth the Amulet of Kings and rested it exposed upon his chest. "The Amulet of Kings is infused with the power of such blood. With this amulet, my blood, and the power of this temple, _Akatosh's _Temple… It may be possible to summon the Dragon to aid us.

"… You speak of summoning Akatosh?" I asked in disbelief. "Even if such a thing were possible, what of _you_?"

He paused. "… I do what I must," he declared. "I cannot stay to rebuild Tamriel. That task must fall upon others…

Farewell, Nerevar. You have been a good friend and a most trusted of ally in the short time I have known you...

But now I must go… The Dragon waits."

I seemed frozen in place as I watched Emperor Martin run past me and stand in the very center of the alter. At that very moment, a great sound of crashing filled my ears as the mace of Mehrunes Dagon carved a massive opening into the front of the Temple of The One, an opening though which he stepped into the temple.

Seeing Emperor Martin at his feet, the God voiced a tremendous roar that turned my very own bones to ice. Martin, however, stood tall and defiant in the face of death. The God then raised his mace high above his head, prepared to crush the Emperor…

But before the hammer could be struck, a sudden blinding light pierced through Martin's chest, sending beams of pure white outward in all directions. The light hitting his eyes, Dagon was forced to rear back and avert his head. In a loud crack of thunder, a great column of flame rose from the entire circumference of the alter, both engulfing Martin completely and literally blasting the entire roof off the temple. Then, from those flames, came a strangely purifying screech, like that of a beast, and a winged figure emerged from the column.

It was a creature unlike anything else. It was a grand dragon, wreathed completely in flame. With each beat of its massive wings, immense heat was sent downward. While still hovering itself above the ground, the dragon's long neck reared back, only to shoot forward and present Mehrunes Dagon with a defiant screech.

This was what Martin spoke of. With his blood, the amulet, and the temple itself, he had done what was thought impossible: he summoned the Avatar of Akatosh _itself_.

With one final beat of its wings, the Dragon rested its feet onto the ground. Dagon immediately began its onslaught: it first sent the three claws of his gauntlet plunging into the Dragon's chest. Slipping them back out, he swung his mace directly into the Dragon's head, making the sound of cracking bones auditable. With one final punch from his lower left arm, Dagon grinned at the sight of his wounded foe.

But the Dragon was not yet dead.

Voicing another screech of defiance, the Dragon reared its head backwards. When it sent it forward, a plume of white flames poured from its mouth and engulfed the red foe. When the flames died out, Mehrunes Dagon 's entire front looked as charred as burnt meat.

The Dragon then lunged itself forward once more and, rearing its sharp teeth, bit into Dagon where neck and shoulder met. With a wet plunge of its teeth and the teeth sunk into Dagon's skin, the Dragon jerked his neck and head back, ripping a huge, bloody chunk of flesh off Dagon's body. It blood was as thick as mud and black as the deepest cave.

Spitting the rancid flesh aside, it was now the Dragon's turn to look upon a wounded foe. Then, taking in a deep breath, the Dragon expelled from its mouth a bright white fog that quickly engulfed Dagon. Upon contact, beams of light, much like the ones that engulfed Martin, emanated from Mehrunes Dagon's body.

The Daedric Prince of Destruction voiced one final roar of defeat before the fog completely engulfed him.

When the fog dissipated, he was gone.

With its battle victorious, the Dragon seemed to slump forward, heaving its chest with heavy breaths of pain. Slowly, its head turned toward me until its eyes met mine. In the instant it did, time froze. All movement around me came to an instant halt and sound stopped as well… That is, until the Dragon spoke.

"**_The Amulet has been shattered_**," the Dragon said, its voice impossible to describe. "**_Dagon is defeated. With the Dragonblood and the Amulet of Kings, the gates of Oblivion have been closed… Forever._**

**_The last of the Septims passes now into history… Martin takes his place with his father and his father's fathers._**

**_The Third Age has ended… and the Forth Age dawns._**

**_When the new Elder Scroll is written, you, Nerevar Incarnate, shall be inscribed._**

**_If have you questions… Come before me._**"

An instant later, time resumed and the Dragon suddenly spread its wingspan to full length and erected its head straight toward the sky, screeching one last deafening roar. A blinding light engulfed the flamed beast and when it dissipated, a stone Akatosh stood in its place, perfectly immortalizing the avatar in its last moments.

The sky slowly cleared above me, turning from a clouded blood red to a perfectly clear blue. The ever constant sound of thunder ended as well, replaced with a quite I had not hear in a _long_ time.

It was over.

From the open roof of the temple, I could see thr White Gold Tower looming overhead: it was unflamed. With all seemingly reset, I found myself stumbling backwards until I finally hit a wall and fell into a seated position, my eyes now fixated upon the stone Akatosh. I heard running footsteps approach to my left. Recognizing them all, I smiled.

_They all survived_.

Hui, Varon, Sin, and Dar'Raskar rushed over to me and immediately began lifting me to my feet. "Zaden!" exclaimed Hui joyously. "You are ok! Are you hurt?"

"Please, everyone," I said, pulling my arms free from their grip, "I am fine."

Slowly but surely, everyone's eyes shifted to the stone Dragon. "I witnessed the battle from afar," commented Varon. "Is this… Akatosh?"

"His avatar," I corrected. "Martin sacrificed himself so that he could summon Akatosh's might… The gates to the Deadlands are closed for all eternity." I then turned to Hui. It was then I asked the inevitable.

"Where is Zela?" I asked.

Again, Hui paused, choosing to remain silent. I repeated myself. "Where is _Zela_?"

When he averted his eyes, I felt a chill through my veins unlike any I have felt before it. "Zaden," he began, "I… I have not been truthful to you…"

Something was _clearly_ wrong here. Before I knew it, I found my right hand gripped at the Argonian's collar. "Damn it, you scaled bastard! Where. Is. _Zela_?"

"… Zaden," Hui whispered,

"Zela is dead."

o0o

_"If that be the case," I said, "let us shove off as soon as possible then."_

_ "You got it," said the captain, then turning back to the ship and its crew, who stood from afar and watched. "Get ya lazy asses moving, ya bums! Nerevar wishes to leave this instant, which gives you bilge rats ten minutes to prepare. Now get moving! Anyone who does not do their share gets fifteen lashings from yours truly!"_

_ In an instant, the crew began their frantic routine of prepping the ship. As we surrendered the horses to the stables below deck, the sails were raised, the anchor was lifted, and in seemingly no time flat, the winds were sending us seaward, toward the seemingly endless seas to the southeast, toward Cyrodiil._

_ As the village of Seyda Neen shrunk the horizon, Zela and I stood on the deck, watching as the island of Vvardenfell grew ever smaller._

_ "I hope we find what you go in search of, Zaden," said Zela. "It will be rather difficult to seek out your family, given that you have very little to go by."_

_ "I know the road ahead will be tough," I replied, "but whatever the outcome, I promise to you that I will remain by your side."_

_ "Do you promise?" she asked with a smile._

_ "I promise."_

o0o

"Zaden! Zaden! Release him!"

Though I did not remember doing it, I suddenly found my hands clutched tightly around Hui's neck, his face turning a deep purple. Realizing what I was doing, I released my grip and Hui fell to the ground, gasping for air.

"I- I am sorry, Hui," I pleaded with him. "It was not my intent to harm you, but to make such distasteful jokes like that is abhorred."

Finally catching his breath, Hui rose to his feet and resumed cautious speech. "Zaden… It was not a joke, I'm am sorry to repeat this, but… Zela _is_ dead."

…

"… Where is she, Hui?" I asked.

"Z- Zaden, please, it pains me to say such things. Do not make me repeat myself."

"Where _is_ she?"

"Please, Zaden, do not make this harder for yourself. It is best you accept this and-"

My hands return to the Argonian's neck. "Listen to my words! Where. Is. Zela. _Now_?"

"… I- I know not what you-"

I was not left with any other choice. I was forced to utter that which I least wanted to. "HER _GRAVE_! Where is her _grave_?" It nearly caused me to vomit to speak that.

Stricken by the hearing of such words, Hui grew solemn in an instant. Averting his eyes once more, he replied in a whisper "Green Emperor Way."

I then found myself running. At the speed I ran, there were no longer buildings around me, merely blurs of gray color passing on my left and right. The cobblestones were now a blank sheet of gray beneath my feet. Before I knew it, I found myself within the Green Emperor way, my eyes scanning frantically over every stone in the circular grassy yard-

I found her.

Her stone was decorative to an amazing detail: two rose vines ran and snaked along the left and right side, turning into flowers at the top. It read thus:

_Zela_

_3E 400 – 3E 430_

_Beloved Wife of Zaden_

_May Azura Bless Her Soul_

The strength of my legs gave way beneath my weight and I fell to my knees. Falling forward with only my arms to hold up my body, I began to weep. I cried uncontrollably with no end in sight. Even when I could no longer produce tears, I continued to wept, knowing Zela, the only woman I have ever truly loved was gone…

… And there was no way to bring her back.

I know not for how long I wept, but when I finally lifted my gaze from the ground at the foot of Zela's grave, the sun was in a significantly lower position in the sky. Forcing my weak legs to stand, I turned around to see my friends standing before me: Hui, Dar'Raskar, Varon Varvur, and Sin. One by one, they all approached to place comforting hands on my shoulders.

"Zaden…" said Hui. "I am sorry for your loss. I loved her just as much as you. Varon as well."

"… How did this happen?" I asked at length.

Just after I asked, the strangest curl of a smile formed in the corner of Hui's mouth. "She passed on," answered Hui, "shortly after childbirth."

…

"… Childbirth?" I repeated.

The faint smile turned into a full one. "Yes, Zaden… To your _son_."

Had those words truly come from Hui's mouth? Was what he said true? "… A son?" I repeated. "… I have… A _son_?"

Hui's smile widened, Varon now smiling as well. "Indeed, Zaden," said Varon. "You are a _father_."

…

"Where is he?" I quickly asked.

"At our home. Jiub took your son deep into the cellar during the battle to keep him safe. He should still be th-"

I began to run faster than I ever thought possible. The others struggled to catch up with me. Being but a district south of the Talos Plaza district, I dashed to the front of my home in seemingly no time at all. As was the case with the surrounding homes, it looked quite damaged, but not enough to cause it a sudden collapse.

Stepping inside, I was surprised to see that the interior had remained relatively unchanged. Save a few knocked over chairs and the pieces of shattered plates that fell from the cabinets adorning the floor, very little looked changed. After a quick glance, I rushed down the narrow stairs that led below into the wine cellar.

Against the wall opposite the stairs was a single door. Creeping the door open, I peaked my head through. Jiub, who had been sitting atop a crate (upon seeing the door open) jumped to his feet and assumed a fighting stance. After realizing it was I, he dropped his stance and his face instantly lit up.

"Zaden?" he exclaimed, his voice whispering, "By Azura, you have returned!"

"Jiub!" I exclaimed as well, stepping into the room. "Hui told me you would be- Wait, where is he?"

"Shh, Zaden!" he whispered again. "He is sleeping right now. Amazingly, he slept through the entire siege. He rests in here," Jiub said, pointing to an open crate.

Tentatively, I approached the crate. There, placed inside, atop a soft pile of cotton packing-cushions was a small bundle in an olive colored blanket. With great caution in my movements, I reached down and picked up the bundle, to which it gently stirred in my hands. Holding it up to my chest, I gently removed the piece of cloth that covered the infant's face from view…

… My son… was _perfect_.

Here in my arms slept the most beautiful thing I have ever set eyes upon. Already a month in age, he had my skin and Zela's long, pointed ears. As I looked at the perfection that was my son, he cooed awake and slowly opened his eyes to look up at the person who held him.

He had his mother's _red_ eyes.

As tears returned to my eyes once more, I heard the approaching footsteps of the others from behind. One by one, they all approached to catch their own glimpse of perfection. "A beautiful child, he is," said Sin. "What shall his name be?"

"… Tovas," I replied, resting him back into his "crib."

"Tovas?" repeated Hui. "Is that not _your_ name?"

I turned to face the Argonian. "No," I stated. "_My_ name is _Zaden_. Tovas is a name bestowed upon me by a man I no longer consider to be my father. I shall pass that name onto my son in the hopes that that name will finally be a name of _worth_."

"Well… It a wonderful name, Zaden. I am sure Zela would approve."

_Zela…_

"Thank you, Hui… If you all will excuse me," I said, "I must take short leave of you. There are questions I wish answered."

As I made my way to the door, Hui asked "To whom are your questions for?"

"… Akatosh."

o0o

I found myself before the newly erected statue of Akatosk, immortalized in its final proclamation of victory. Looking up at its magnificent, I shut my eyes and asked him to "Grant me audience."

When I opened my eyes, there stood before me Akatosh in its flamed form, standing but a few feet from me in an empty white void. "**_Many questions exist in your mind_**," the Dragon stated. "**_Speak them_**."

"… Perennia is dead."

"**_Indeed she is. An untimely death it was_**."

"Do you not understand what I have said? Perennia is _dead_! It was her _destiny_ to bring Emperor Martin Septim to the Temple of The One, to become Savior of Cyrodiil! Instead, she fell! She was _killed_ before her destiny was fulfilled! Instead, _I_ was there to do what she was intended to do!

Dragon, how is this possible!"

"**_All destinies of Heroes (past, present, and of the future) are scribed into the Elder Scrolls. The Elder Scrolls are that in which all histories are recorded. Your destiny, Nerevar Reborn, was to slay Dagoth Ur and destroy the Heart of Lorkhan._**

**_ That destiny you fulfilled._**

**_ Perennia's destiny was to lead Martin to the Temple of The One and make sure he performed his sacrifice to close the gates of Oblivion, therefore becoming herself Champion of Cyrodiil. However, her destiny was… altered._**"

"_Altered?_" I repeated in disbelief. "Are the Elder Scrolls not written in stone? Are they not infallible and their word absolute!"

"**_For a mortal such as yourself, yes. For Gods, such as I, we possess the ability to alter foretold events in the Elder Scrolls… though such an act is forbidden._**"

"If such acts are forbidden, why not purge yourself of such a power?"

"**_We are gifted with such a power at our conception. It is a power we cannot simply be rid of… Long ago, it was decreed that the Elder Scrolls are not to be altered or tampered with. From Perennia's death, we know now that this agreement had been broken._**"

"By who?" I asked. "Who would be willing to force the destiny of Perennia upon myself and kill Perennia?"

"**_… Azura_**."

She whose name I loathed the most.

Upon hearing that name, I screamed at the top of my lungs in a nearly uncontrollable rage, livid at the truth that Azura was _truly_ behind this turn of events. "The BITCH!" I seethed through clenched teeth. "The _FUCKING_ BITCH! She will dread the day she ever betrayed me!

Dragon, is Azura responsible for the actions of Perennia when she forced herself upon me?"

"**_Indeed_**."

"… She will _die_," I declared. "Azura will **_die_** for what she has brought upon me! With my own hands I shall slay her! I will-"

"**_You shall do no such thing_**."

"But Dragon, surly you are not so unfeeling as to not recognize the torment she has brought upon me?"

"**_Your torment I do see and to it I am sympathetic. Azura will pay for her crime of altering the Elder Scrolls. However, Her death would bring about instability that would undo all of existence, much like She had warned you before you first entered Moonshadow._**

**_ As powerful you may be, Nerevar Reborn, you are merely mortal, and as such, possess not the ability to bring harm upon a G-_**

**_ HOLD!_**"

I jumped backwards from the Dragon's sudden change of tone. Arching his neck downward, the Dragon put his face directly in front of mine, his fiery eyes locked onto mine. "**_Present before me a hand_**." I slowly held out my left hand, the palm facing upward. The dragon then bent his head down further until the very tip of his nose touched my skin. In that instant, our manas were linked, mine infinitely small in comparison to that of Akatosh's.

I was but a pebble in the ocean that was Akatosh.

Lifting his nose from my palm and returning to the position he previously was, the Dragon, in his first show of facial expression, raised his eyebrows. "**_That power… Only Gods have been known to possess that power! Nerevar, from what God did you receive that ability?_**"

"Of what power do you speak?" I asked.

"**_Smite… You, Nerevar, possess the ability of Smite. It is an offensive spell that only Gods know._**"

I thought of what the Dragon could possibly be speaking of. Then, with my left hand still outstretched, I produce the strange green flame that I had used before. "Do you speak of _this_?"

"**_Indeed. That is Smite. All Gods and Daedric Princes are bestowed this mightiest of spells upon conceptions. The secret to its mastering was forbidden by mortals as it is an ability far too powerful for mortals to possess… What God bestowed Smite upon you, Nerevar Reborn?_**"

"… Dagoth Ur," I replied cautiously.

"**… Interesting… In the last years of his life, it would seem that Dagoth Ur unlocked the ability of Smite… But for what reason would he give such a power to you?**"

"Dagoth Ur, after giving me Smite, said that I would soon confront 'that which has molded me.' I know not what he means."

"**_… I now understand_**," stated the Dragon. "**_Your destiny is now clear, Nerevar. It is you who will exact punishment upon Azura for her altering of the Elder Scrolls. With the power of Smite… You now possess the ability to bring her pain_**."

This was too good to be true.

"**_You are Azura's most trusted of servants. She will not expect you to betray her so suddenly. Use this to your advantage when you confront her._**

**_ If you wish it, I can take you to her realm now. I will see to it that you are not blinded from its beauty upon arriving._**

**_ What say you, Nerevar?_**"

"… What do I _say_?" I replied rhetorically. "I say… Let her not go another second _unpunished_."

o0o

In what seemed the blink of an eye, I found myself at the threshold of the main gate of Azura's Rose Palace. The all too familiar sights of Moonshadow filled my senses… and sickened me. I no longer saw this place as a haven or a paradise, but now as merely that which _she_ dwells in. Channeling mana into my inner reserves until they were completely filled, I walked up the many steps into the palace.

Entering an immaculately picturesque courtyard, a set of fifteen foot tall double doors marked the main entrance of the palace itself. As I approached, the gates suddenly opened forward, revealing Azura standing on the other side. With a smile she approached me.

"Nerevar," she greeted. "Your presence here is unexpected. I assume there is news you wish to voice to me?"

"Indeed," I replied pleasantly, putting on a smile myself. "The Dragonfires have been lit and Mehrunes Dagon was purged from his arrival in Tamriel."

"That is wondrous news indeed."

"However," I continued, "such pleasurable things are offset by many distasteful ones… Martin Septim summoned the Avatar of Akatosh in order to face Dagon, and in doing so was consumed by it power."

"Oh dear… That is _terrible_, Nerevar."

"But there is more… Perennia fell before she could bring Martin to the Temple of The One. Her destiny was left unfulfilled… though you _proclaimed_ it her destiny."

"You are mistaken. It was not I that proclaimed the destiny of Perennia. Destinies are not created by Gods. In truth, it is not known what or _who_ originated the destinies of individuals."

That is the greatest of lies I have ever heard. It was _Azura_ that proclaimed the reincarnation of _Indoril Nerevar_. How can she honestly say this to me with confidence?

"But this brings up something else," I continued. "… You stated that if I were not there to protect Perennia, she would have died protecting Emperor Martin Septim. I was with her throughout her entire journey… and yet she _still_ fell.

What say you, Goddess?" I did well to mask my anger with a tone of curiosity.

"… I must have been mistaken," she replied innocently. "Even for I, much of the future is a haze. I cannot be certain of all that has yet to pass…

… But I feel there is _more_ you wish to voice, Nerevar?"

"… Zela is dead," I stated.

She gasped. "Oh dear! How dreadful! Such a young soul, she was! It does my heart ill to hear of such an untimely demise… How fare you, Nerevar, in the wake of this?"

"… If you wish to know how I am feeling… My heart feels as if it has been pierced by guilt. I was away from her when she passed. I cannot help but feel that if I were by her side, she would have not-"

My words were suddenly cut short by the touch of Azura's soft hands upon my shoulders and the bringing of her bosom against mine. "I feel your pain, Nerevar," Azura said to me. "When your former, Indoril Nerevar, fell beneath the might of Dagoth Ur, his loss stuck my heart as well.

Please, Nerevar, let me soften your wounds…"

With that, Azura brought herself closer and caressed her lips against mine, voicing a soft sigh in the process. When she lifted her lips from mine, she gazed lovingly into my eyes.

"… Why do you do this?" I whispered.

"Because you are hurt… and I wish to heal you with my love. Will you accept it? After all I have done for you?"

"… I- I know not if I _can_. So soon after the loss of Zela-"

"You need not worry your mind with such thoughts. All must pass on, Nerevar. Some sooner than others."

"… Perhaps you are correct, Goddess. Perhaps it _is_ time to let go of one love-" I reached both my arms around Azura's waist and pressed her against me, "-and accept the love of _another_."

With her smile grown, Azura wrapped her arms around my shoulders and brought her lips back against mine. "It brings my heart joy to hear you accept my love, Nerevar. It makes all that I have done worth it."

"'All that you have done'?"

"Yes. Zela was but a barrier between our love, Nerevar. For us to be together, it was necessary to expunge her from between us. Now our _true_ love can flourish together."

…

"Azura, my I say something to you?" I asked.

"Of course, my love," replied Azura softly. "Speak anything."

"You know of the Elder Scrolls, do you not?"

"Of course I do, Nerevar. Why ask?"

"… You changed Perennia's destiny so that our love could be complete, did you not?"

"… Yes, my love. Indeed I did. It saddened me to take such a young life, but it was necessary. Would you not agree?"

…

"No."

Ripping my right hand from around Azura's waist, I clutched Arura's stomach and sent a powerful blast of Smite through her. Her head jerked forward as she coughed a spray of blood that painted the left of my face. With sheer terror in her eyes, she staggered backwards, her hands clutched the deep, bloody wound in her stomach.

_Interesting. She bleeds red…_

She collapsed to the ground, her hands still hanging onto her wound. Her fearful eyes looked back up to me. "N- Nerevar," she spoke in feeble tones, stricken from pain, "why have you done this to me?"

"Do _not_ speak to me as if you are not aware!" I spat back. "You know full well of what you wrote." Bending down I grasped Azura by her neck and lifted her from the ground. Approaching the nearest wall, I slammed her against it. With every emphasized word I then spoke, I slammed her against the surface of the wall.

"It was _you_ that lied to me, speaking that my destiny, and the very life of Perennia, hung upon my protection of her and my leaving of Zela! It was _you_ that tore me from Zela, who died without the presence of her husband by her side! And it was _you_ that altered the Elder Scrolls, passing the destiny of Perennia onto _me_, therefore causing Perennia her _death!_

And _now_ I see the reasoning behind all this trickery and deceit: you merely wished me for _yourself! _Your greed and lust has caused you to become a monster, a thing of jealous and malicious intent! You care not for me, for my allies, my friends, my happiness, and most _certainly_ not for those I _love!_ You would have gladly done away with them all if it meant that I would become closer to you! Confess to this!

CONFESS!"

Her terror had turned her face livid and her speech impossible. All she could muster was trembling breaths. After what seemed an eternity, she finally gave her reply.

"… Y- Yes," she trembled, her voice pained from her wound. "All you speak of is true… I want you for myself, Nerevar. I would have gladly done away with all such distractions if it would bring you that much closer to me."

My grip tightened around Azura's neck, causing her face to turn a deeper shade of blue. "A thing such as yourself," I said, "disserves not to live. I would have not a second thought slitting your throat at this very moment! I would bring upon you the longest and most painful of deaths possible!

Were it not for the fact that your death would bring about an end of existence, I would _gladly_ kill you. But, seeing as this is not the case… I, regretfully, shall spare your life." Tossing her back to the ground like the cheap whore I now saw her as, Azura brought her eyes back onto me. I held up before me my left fist, presenting in front of her the Moon and Star mark that adorned my hand and the Moon and Star ring that adorned a finger.

Unclenching that fist, I slipped from my ring finger the Moon and Star ring and, placing it in the palm of my right hand, incinerated it with Smite. Then, producing a flame from the same hand, I held it against the mark. Though the pain was intense and I could literally feel my flesh burning, when I lifted the flame from my hand, the Moon and Star mark was gone, covered over by blackened, charred flesh.

"With the purging if this mark from my body," I said to Azura, "I relinquish my servitude to you. I am your servant no longer. Though the wound you now carry may heal, its pain shall remain with you for all eternity. May it be an ever present reminder to how you betrayed your most trusted servant… and he took vengeance.

Farewell, Azura, _forevermore_."

I turned my back to the Goddess and left her on the floor, clutching her wound, wreathing in the pain of the reminder I left her. Leaving Rose Palace, I looked to the sky of Moonshadow. "Dragon, take me away from this place… I tire of it."

"**_As you wish… Thank you, Nerevar._**"

o0o

Taking one last look at the statue of Akatosh, I whispered one last "Thank you" before heading back to the Talos Plaza District. Upon reaching my home, Hui, Varon, Sin, and Dar'Raskar all sat outside the front door, awaiting my return. As I approached them, they all rose to their feet.

"Zaden!" exclaimed Hui joyfully. "Has Akatosh answered your every-… Zaden! Is that blood on your clothing?"

I looked down to see that the blood of Azura, the blood that was released from her body when I struck her with Smite, was still splattered upon the white of my robe. No doubt it still adorned my face as well.

"Whose blood is that?" asked Hui.

"… The blood of Azura," I replied.

"A- Azura! What have you done, Zaden?"

"You were correct all along, Hui: Azura's intervention in the affairs of Perennia _were_ something to be suspicious of. I shall explain everything to you all later, but for now… Where is Tovas? I wish to take him to see his mother."

"… He is inside," replied Hui. "It is strange: after you left, he began to cry uncontrollably and has yet to stop." From outside, I could indeed hear the cries of a child from within the home. Stepping inside, I spotted Jiub cradling Tovas in a chair in the lounge, desperately attempting to settle his tears.

Seeing me approach, Jiub passed Tovas into my arms. The instant he did, the child ceased to cry. "Amazing," commented Jiub. "I found it impossible to stop his crying, but he stops immediately for you, Zaden. It is as if-"

"-He can recognize his own father," I said. "Come, Tovas. There is someone I wish you to meet."

Cradling Tovas in my arms, I walked back outside and toward the center of the burned and smoldering Imperial City, toward the Green Emperor Way. The others seemed ready to follow me, but Hui was kind enough to stop them. Entering the cemetery, I once more found Zela's grave. Standing before it, I knelt down and showed the gravestone Tovas's perfect face.

"See, Zela?" I asked her. "It is our son, Tovas. Is he not perfect in every way?... I know I was not there to be with you when he was birthed, but I _promise_ you, Zela, that I will spend the rest of my life making up for it.

I shall spend every day raising our son and molding him into the most perfect of men. He will be righteous, true, kind, courageous, and so much more. Whatever his passions may be in life (be they of a warrior, a thief, mage, or any number of other things) I shall see to it that he becomes the greatest of them."

Looking to the stone, I read the final line carved into it. _May Azura Bless Her Soul_. Producing a small sliver of Smite from my index finger, I cut a line through Azura's name. "And," I continued, "it shall be free of _her_ influence.

Farewell, Zela, my love, until we meet again."

As I brought Tovas back to cradle in my arms and we walked back home, I could hear a sweet, familiar voice whisper in a passing breeze.

_Thank you…_

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Well, that's that. Thus ends "Cyrodiil: The Legend of Zaden."

This was as much a work of love as the first and, in many ways, was harder to write than the first. I hope you've all enjoyed reading this installment of the Legend of Zaden series. One more book stands to be written in said series: Legend of Zaden: Chronicles. After _that_, though, I cannot confidently say there will be more.

Regardless, and again, thank you all for reading my humble little story. I would love to hear your thoughts on my work.

Thank you and, until next time, let blessings be upon you all...


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